[1] He died in the LaMia Airlines Flight 2933 accident in the Colombian village of Cerro Gordo, La Unión, Antioquia, while travelling with the Chapecoense football squad for the Copa Sudamericana finals on 28 November 2016.

But he soon began transferring to eight clubs across Brazil and one in Argentina, Rosario Central, for the next decade where he stayed for a maximum of three years.

During this time, Sérgio made his international début for Brazil in 1981 and picked up a number of honours at club level, including: a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A league title in 1979, the highest league in Brazilian football; two Campeonato Gaúcho league titles in 1981 and 1984 and an Intercontinental Cup with Grêmio in 1983 after his side beat Hamburger SV 2–1.

After a brief spell in Europe with Swiss team AC Bellinzona, the Brazilian moved back to Brazil with Esporte Clube Bahia in 1987 where he would make one final league appearance before retiring that year.

He remained with the team until the end of the 2009 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, where Inter finished as runners-up to Flamengo.