[1][2] Born in Leopoldina, Minas Gerais, Zequinha started his career in 1967 at Flamengo and he left to play for Botafogo two years later.
With the popularity of the North American Soccer League at its zenith, Zequinha moved to the U.S. and joined the Dallas Tornado in 1979.
Rather than go home during the off-season, he chose to play indoor soccer in the MISL for the Detroit Lightning.
He played two more years in Dallas before the team was merged with the Tampa Bay Rowdies after the 1981 season.
[3] After two indoor and one outdoor season with the Rowdies he joined the Tulsa Roughnecks and was a member of their Soccer Bowl winning side in 1983.