 Born in São Paulo, Júlio César started playing football as a child on the streets of the Tucuruvi neighborhood.By the age of 9, he played with the children's teams at the local Clube de Campo Associação Atlética Guapira.After a friendly match against Corinthians in the age of 15, Júlio was invited by a scout to train at their youth team, with which he won the 2004 and 2005 editions of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior.