He played 125 times for Cruzeiro between 2000 and 2004, earning one national league title and several other domestic competitions, before moving to Europe when he signed for Ligue 1 side Monaco.

After two years in Monaco, he signed for Inter Milan in 2006, where he became an established first team player, going on to win the UEFA Champions League in 2010, four Serie A titles, the FIFA Club World Cup and various domestic competitions.

[4] In July 2006, Inter Milan officially announced the signing of Maicon for a fee of £4.8 million and a five-year contract, along with fellow Brazilian fullback Maxwell and French midfielder Olivier Dacourt.

[5] During his time at Inter, he established himself as a reliable wing-back, solid defensively with an ability of making emphatic runs down the right wing, often setting up goals or scoring himself with his powerful right foot.

[8] A regular under former coach José Mourinho, he contributed his fair share of assists and goals as Inter won a fourth consecutive title in the 2008–09 season, including a match-winning brace against Siena.

[15] During Inter's home leg of the Derby d'Italia, the right back opened the scoring against Juventus with one of the most spectacular goals of the season, juggling a loose ball over the onrushing defender at the top of the penalty box and volleying it into the opposite corner.

[21] He was named the 2009–10 UEFA Club Defender of the Year and his performances earned him a nomination for the Ballon d'Or trophy as Europe's top player.

In his 23 appearances Maicon scored two goals, the first in a 2–1 defeat to Juventus at the San Siro on 29 October 2011, and the second in the Derby della Madonnina against Milan in a 4–2 win, on 6 May 2012.

When manager Roberto Mancini was sacked at the end of the season, his replacement Manuel Pellegrini was quick to move the player, omitting him from the club's pre-season tour of South Africa and commenting that he had no plans to include him in the squad.

He was allocated squad number 13, and made his competitive debut on 25 August in the opening league week against Livorno, playing full-90 minutes in a 0–2 away win.

[33] Maicon made his Coppa Italia debut nine days later in the quarter-final against Juventus, contributing in a 1–0 home win and progression to the semi-final.

[50] Due to his work-rate and stamina, Maicon is known to be capable of aiding his team both offensively and defensively, and has been used both as a full-back and as an attacking wing-back or wide midfielder.

He is gifted with outstanding physical attributes, athleticism and excellent technical skills, as well as good vision, crossing ability and a powerful shot, which made him a dangerous attacking threat down the right flank in his prime.

Due to his success, strength, pace and power, he earned the nickname "Il Colosso" ("The Colossus") during his time at Inter, where he developed into one of the best attacking full-backs in the world, forming a notable partnership with teammate Javier Zanetti.