 Cafú was born in Lisbon, Portugal.During his early career he played for Almada AC, Amora FC, C.F.Os Belenenses – with which he made his Primeira Liga debuts in the 1999–2000 season– and Boavista FC, appearing in six games in the Porto team's quarter-final run in the UEFA Cup in 2002–03 but starting rarely during his three and-a-half-year spell with the club.