Neto

Athlético Paranaense

Born in Araxá, Minas Gerais, Neto moved from his state's Cruzeiro to Athletico Paranaense as a teenager. He made his professional debut at 19 in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A due to the suspension of first-choice Rodrigo Galatto. He kept a clean sheet in a 3–0 home win over Grêmio Barueri on 16 August 2009. His only other appearance of the season came on 29 November in the final home game, as a half-time substitute for Galatto in a 2–0 win over Botafogo at the Arena da Baixada. After Galatto and second-choice Vinícius left Atlético-PR, Neto became the first-choice goalkeeper for the 2010 season. In the opener on 9 May, he was sent off in a 2–1 loss at Corinthians for a foul on Dentinho; following a two-match suspension, he returned and started every game for the club until October, when he was forced to miss several games after being called up for the Brazil national team.

Fiorentina

Neto agreed a deal to play for Italian club Fiorentina on 5 January 2011, signing the contract three days later for a €3.5 million transfer fee split into three payments and Atlético-PR retaining 25% of his economic rights. Second-choice to Artur Boruc, he made his debut in the 4th round of the 2011–12 Coppa Italia on 24 November 2011 at home to fellow Tuscans Empoli, winning 2–1. He debuted in the Serie A on 29 April in a 2–0 loss at Atalanta. In 2013–14, with Boruc and Emiliano Viviano now having left the Stadio Artemio Franchi, Neto became the…

In September 2010, 21-year-old Neto had his first call-up for the Brazil national football team under manager Mano Menezes, who chose several new young players with an eye to the 2012 Olympic tournament. He took no part in the friendlies against Iran in the United Arab Emirates and against Ukraine in England. He was called up again in October to face Argentina in another exhibition in Qatar. Neto was in the Brazil squad for the 2012 Olympic tournament in Great Britain, playing in their two opening group stage wins over Egypt and Belarus before being replaced by Gabriel as the nation won the silver medal. Neto was one of seven stand-by players named by Dunga for the senior team at the 2015 Copa América, but was eventually called into the main squad after a knee injury to Diego Alves. He remained on the bench as Jefferson played first-choice goalkeeper, and Brazil reached the quarter-finals. On 12 September 2018, eight years after his first senior call-up, Neto debuted for Brazil when he started a 5–0 friendly win over El Salvador in the United States.

Club

As of the match played on 15 February 2026

International

As of match played 11 September 2018

Neto began his football career very early in life, playing for Campinas-based team Guarani at youth level, before being promoted to the senior side. In the mid-1980s he also played for Bangu (in Rio de Janeiro) and São Paulo, before returning to Guarani once again. In 1988, he brought more attention upon himself by scoring a goal from a bicycle-kick in the São Paulo State Championship finals against Corinthians. In 1989 Neto played for Palmeiras and was subsequently transferred to Corinthians, where he remained for a good part of his career, wearing club's the number 10 shirt, and becoming an idol with the club's fans in the beginning of the nineties. With his precise passing game and strong personality, he was the key player during the 1990 National Championship in Brazil, when Corinthians won the finals against São Paulo. After almost five years and 114 goals for Corinthians, his time with the club came to a close. However, even today Neto is remembered as one of the most iconic players in the club's history. After his spell with Corinthians, he played for many other clubs, in Brazil (Araçatuba, Atlético Mineiro, Matsubara, Santos) and abroad (Millonarios of Colombia). He is one of the few players to have played for all four major teams in the state of São Paulo. Neto's career was always plagued by weight problems and disagreements with referees and club managers, due to his strong character. His most famous episode was when he spat in referee José Aparecido de Oliveira's…

Neto was a member of the Brazilian under-23 team that won a bronze medal at the 1983 Pan American Games. Following his performances in the São Paulo State Championship throughout the season, in 1988, Neto was named to the Brazil national team that went to Seoul to play in the Summer Olympic Games. In the final against the Soviet Union, Neto helped set up Romário's opening goal of the match from a corner-kick, however, the Soviets came from behind to defeat Brazil 2–1 in extra-time to capture the gold medal. Neto was later also included in the Brazilian squad that finished second in the 1991 Copa América in Chile; under manager Falcão, he was named the team's captain, and wore the number 10 shirt throughout the tournament. He scored his only goal of the competition from a penalty in a 2–1 win over Bolivia on 9 July, in the first round group stage. In total, he made 26 appearances for Brazil at international level between 1988 and 1993, scoring 7 goals; 9 of his appearances came with the Olympic youth side, and 16 with the senior team, including one appearance and one goal in an unofficial friendly.

A set-piece specialist, in Brazil Neto is commonly considered to be one of the greatest free kick takers ever, and one of the best Brazilian players of the early 1990s. A versatile midfielder, he was capable of playing in several offensive midfield positions, but was usually deployed as an attacking midfielder behind the forwards, due to his technique, range of passing, and excellent playmaking skills; he was also occasionally used as a second striker or as a winger. In addition to being known for his accuracy from dead ball situations, he was also noted for his precise long passing, and his ability to act as a leader for his teammates on the field.

Juventus

Serie A: 2015–16, 2016–17 Coppa Italia: 2015–16, 2016–17 Supercoppa Italiana: 2015 UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2016–17 Valencia

Copa del Rey: 2018–19 Barcelona

Copa del Rey: 2020–21 Brazil U23

Olympic Silver Medal: 2012

São Paulo Campeonato Paulista: 1987 Corinthians Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1990 Supercopa do Brasil: 1991 Campeonato Paulista: 1997 Deportivo Italchacao Venezuelan Primera División: 1998–99 Brazil U-20 South American U-20 Championship: 1985 Brazil Copa America runner-up :1991