[2] Born in Feira de Santana, Júnior began his career in the late 1980s, playing with Flamengo in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

In Germany, he is best known for the ten-match ban that he received after punching an opponent in a match, which caused his club Werder Bremen to cancel his contract.

Júnior retired at the end of 2005 but in December 2006, he signed a professional contract with América (RJ) to save the club from relegation in the Campeonato Carioca in the beginning of 2007.

After a brief stint with Volta Redonda in 2009, Júnior went to Miami FC of the USL First Division, which is coached by his former Brazilian national teammate Zinho.

During the 1998 World Cup Baiano played a key role in the Brazil squad which reached the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final in Paris, although in the match against Norway which Brazil lost 2–1, he lost a "trial of strength" with Tore André Flo immediately before the striker hit the ball beyond the reach of Claudio Taffarel to equalize, and also fouled the same player a few minutes later, which resulted in the awarding of a penalty kick, from which the Norwegians scored the decisive goal.