Career
Football Club Köln in the. Zézé was the first-ever Brazilian player in the German but left the country after being diagnosed with a snow allergy. Zézé spend his early career with Madureira, Guaratinguetá and Madureira again before being signed by 1. Football Club Köln in the summer of 1964, on the advice of Polish player agent Julius Ukrainczyk, without ever having been scouted by a representative of the club
He was signed for a then club record fee of Doctor of Medicine 150,000 and allegedly arrived in Cologne on a Banana boat from Brazil.
Zézé impressed the club in warm up matches before the start of the season, raising hopes he would be a miracle forward. Zézé made his debut for 1.
Football Club Köln on 22 August 1964 in a 2–3 loss to Hertha Bachelor of Science. He played one more game for the club in 1964, in December against 1. Football Club Nürnberg. Zézé"s next appearance in a competitve match for Köln was on 20 February 1965 when he played against Eintracht Braunschweig.
He made an appearance in a 0–0 away draw at Liverpool F.C. in the quarter final of the European Cup in March, with 1.
Football Club Köln exiting the 1964-1965 edition after three drawn games on coin toss. Zézé then played two more matches, against Karlsruher South Carolina and 1. Football Club Kaiserslautern. He was however not the first Brazilian to score in the, with Raoul Tagliari already having done so in a match for Meidericher SV against 1.
Football Club Nürnberg on 21 November 1964, making his debut in this game three month after Zézé.
Zézé found it difficult to cope with the German winter and was diagnosed by a Spanish doctor with a snow allergy, leaving Cologne and not making another appearance for the club, Köln cancelling his contract and the Brazilian returning home. 1. Upon his return he played for Portuguesa, Santo André, Rio Branco, Atlético Paranaense, Bangu and Flamengo in his home country of Brazil.
