Serginho started his career in the town of Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
He played for São Caetano as a defender, and was playing for his team in a Campeonato Brasileiro match against São Paulo on 27 October 2004 when he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest 60 minutes into the match.
After a investigation, his team received a 24-points deduction but was not relegated, despite the loss of points.
This was because São Caetano's staff let him play even knowing that he had heart problems, detected in the pre-season medical tests.
This biographical article related to a Brazilian association football defender born in the 1970s is a stub.