Mineiro

Early career

Mineiro was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Having not been taken on by Grêmio or Internacional, the two major teams of his home city, his agent Jorge Machado took him to the interior of São Paulo state to the youth team of Rio Branco in 1996. A year later, he began his professional career at Guarani. In 1998, Mineiro joined Guarani's rivals Ponte Preta. With the team, he reached the knockout stages of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 1999 and 2000; in the latter year, Placar magazine named him in the Bola de Prata team of the season. In 2001, the club reached the semi-finals of the Campeonato Paulista and Copa do Brasil. Mineiro signed for São Caetano in 2003. He was part of the squad that won the 2004 Campeonato Paulista, the club's first state title, and scored in the 2–0 win over Paulista Futebol Clube in the second leg of the final (5–1 aggregate).

São Paulo

At the start of 2005, Mineiro signed for São Paulo on a two-year contract under Émerson Leão, who had given him his international debut. He won the Campeonato Paulista, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club World Championship in the same year. On 18 December 2005, he scored the only goal in the latter's final at International Stadium Yokohama in Japan, against European champions Liverpool. The team also won the 2006 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.

Hertha BSC

Mineiro's contract at São Paulo expired at the start of 2007, and the club offered him a…

Mineiro made his international debut on 25 April 2001 in a 1–1 draw with Peru at São Paulo's Estádio do Morumbi, in 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was one of five debutants under manager Émerson Leão. Mineiro was a late call-up for Brazil's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. A knee injury sustained by Barcelona midfielder Edmílson in the run-up to the tournament forced him to withdraw, resulting in a call-up for Mineiro, but he did not receive any playing time in Germany. Mineiro was selected to participate in Copa América 2007, and started every match as Brazil went on to win the tournament in Venezuela.

Club

São Caetano

Campeonato Paulista: 2004 São Paulo

Campeonato Paulista: 2005 Copa Libertadores: 2005 FIFA Club World Cup: 2005 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2006

International

Brazil

Copa América: 2007

Individual

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2006 Troféu Mesa Redonda best player: 2006