Blessed with superb skill and technical ability but possessing a troublesome character, he represented among others Flamengo, Palmeiras and Deportivo de La Coruña, and was also a Brazil international.

Afterwards, Djalminha played for Guarani (being briefly loaned, in 1994, to Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan) and then Palmeiras, where he received the Bola de Ouro (Brazilian Golden Ball) award in 1996.

This was followed by a May 2002 heated confrontation during training with Depor manager Javier Irureta,[6] prompted his loan to Austrian Football Bundesliga side FK Austria Wien in the summer of 2002.

In 2008, Djalminha returned to Depor, joining its indoor football team alongside club greats Donato, Fran, Noureddine Naybet and Jacques Songo'o.

[8][9] The stiff competition in Brazil in Djalminha's position of attacking midfielder, combined with his somewhat difficult temperament, limited him to just 14 full international caps in six years, the vast majority coming while at Deportivo.