After starting out at Ivinhema, and three and a half seasons in Portugal with three clubs, he went on to spend most of his career with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Premier League, winning several titles.

[5] He made his competitive debut on 10 May of that year, coming on as a first-half substitute in a 1–2 Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão home loss against Red Bull Brasil,[8] and appeared in only eight first-team matches before departing.

[14] On 22 August 2012, in the first leg of the last qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, Ismaily equalised for Braga with a 30-meter effort for the final 1–1 home draw against Udinese Calcio.

[15] In February 2013, Ismaily signed a five-year deal with FC Shakhtar Donetsk, joining a host of compatriots at the Ukrainian Premier League side.

[18] He made his Ligue 1 debut one week later, closing the 1–1 draw at FC Nantes after an assist from Jonathan David and scoring the club's 5,000th goal in all competitions in the process.