Born in Carangola, Soares was labeled as an offensive midfielder who mainly plays down the left side of the pitch.
His play at Portuguesa brought him international attention, and he eventually landed in Monterrey, Mexico - where he signed for UANL Tigres.
At Tigres, Soares quickly consolidated himself as a key part of an offense that featured Argentine standouts Walter Gaitan and Néstor Andrés Silvera, as well as Brazilian striker Kleber.
Soares was part of a Tigres team that reached the Apertura 2003 finals against eventual champions CF Pachuca.
The following season, Soares played 15 games and scored one goal, mostly coming on as a substitute, due to the strength of the team's roster.