 He played for the Massachusetts-based Cape Verdean ethnic Fidjus Terra, Alianca CV, and Clube Tabanka, and played college soccer at the University of South Carolina Spartanburg, where he was a National Soccer Coaches Athletic Association All-American in 2000 and received All-Conference honors in 2003.Barbosa turned professional in 2004, and began his career in the USL Second Division, then moving to Sweden, playing for Kristianstads FF, before returning to the United States when he signed for the New Hampshire Phantoms in the USL Second Division in 2006.Barbosa was named to the USL Division 2 All-League First Team and tied for second in the league in scoring with 10 goals in his debut season with the Phantoms.