 He began his career with Sport Club Internacional, Santos FC and Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, with a brief stint in Japan in between and an unsuccessful spell at Portugal's FC Porto, which finished after a serious run-in with the board of directors and prompted his Brazil return.In early June 2001, Argel returned to Portugal with S.L.Benfica, which he helped win the Primeira Liga in his fourth season and the domestic supercup, the former after an 11-year drought.