[2] Born in Santa Bárbara d'Oeste,[3] he started his professional career in 1980 playing for União Barbarense of his native city.
[4] He left the club two years later to play for Guarani, then Gottardo defended Náutico in 1986 and in 1987.
[3] Wilson Gottardo played the 1995 season with São Paulo, returning for a third spell with Botafogo in 1995 and in 1996.
[3] He left Cruzeiro in 1998 to play for Sport in 1999,[4] when he won the Campeonato Pernambucano,[3] and then retired.
[4] Wilson Gottardo played six times for the Brazil national team in 1991, without scoring a goal,[6] including three Copa América games.