[4][5] He also scored one of the fastest goals in professional football history while playing for América Mineiro, against Vila Nova during a Copa São Paulo de Juniores match.

[8] After scoring 41 goals in 43 games for Cruzeiro in the 2005 season, Fred was signed by defending Ligue 1 champions Lyon for €15 million.

Although he missed two months of the 2006–07 season,[10] Fred still scored 11 goals in 20 games, and was the club's top scorer as Lyon defended their title.

[12] He made his comeback in October 2007, but due to competition with new signing Milan Baroš and youth product Karim Benzema, Fred had limited first team opportunities.

[16] After being released from Lyon and refusing to return from Brazil, Fred signed a pre-contract with Brazilian club Fluminense, consequently agreeing to a five-year deal.

Four days later, he scored a hat trick in a 4–0 victory against Figueirense, and finished the season second in the top scorer's chart with 22 goals.

[18] On 11 November 2012, Fred scored two goals in a 3–2 win over Palmeiras, clinching the 2012 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A for Fluminense and finishing as the league's top scorer and best player.

[22] On 23 December 2017, Fred and Atlético agreed on the termination of his contract[23] and on the same day it was announced his return to Cruzeiro,[24] 12 years after originally leaving.

He made his second debut for the club on 17 January 2018, in the season opening match against Tupi at the Mineirão in the Campeonato Mineiro, which ended in a 2–0 win for Cruzeiro.

Although he did not play during the qualifying campaign, Fred was named in Brazil's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad as a cover for strikers Ronaldo, Adriano and Robinho.

After entering as a substitute, he scored in a 2–0 victory against Australia on 18 June when he tapped-in a shot from Robinho which had rebounded off the inside of goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer's near post in the 90th minute.

[35] In the opening match of the tournament, on 12 June against Croatia in São Paulo, Fred was fouled in the 69th minute,[36] resulting in a controversial penalty which Neymar converted to make the score 2–1 ahead of an eventual 3–1 win.

[40] Fred's prolonged run of poor form saw the player receive hostile jeers from the home crowd whenever he touched the ball in the 7–1 defeat to Germany in Belo Horizonte.

[41] According to Opta Sports, Fred failed to make a single tackle, cross, run or interception during the match, and spent the most time in possession of the ball on the centre spot due to seven restarts and one kick-off.