In 1989, immediately after having finished runner-up in the Campeonato Paulista with the latter club and suffered the loss of his father, he moved to Spain where he would remain the following 15 years, starting out at RC Celta de Vigo.
He helped to a first-ever promotion for the Galicians in 1994 and, over the course of the following four seasons, was a midfield mainstay,[8] notably netting in consecutive home draws against Real Madrid (1–1 on 2 April 1995, and 3–3 on 25 February 1996)[9][10] and scoring once in the 6–2 away rout of Deportivo de La Coruña in a local derby in May 1998.
[13] From 2008 to 2011, Soares was in charge of amateurs Bergantiños FC,[14] Compostela again – taking the reins of the latter after the ninth round,[15] he eventually failed to prevent relegation from the third tier as last[16]– and CD Estradense.
In March 2015, following José Couceiro's departure, both he and former club player Hugo Leal took the reins until the end of the season,[18] eventually leading the team to the 12th position in the Primeira Liga; in July, he was appointed the sole head coach.
[24] In April 2021, Soares was appointed at Barra Futebol Clube (SC),[25] but left by mutual agreement on 17 June, two weeks before the start of the Campeonato Catarinense Série B.