sentences:  Ceará began his football career when he joined Gama youth academy and earned a nickname "Ceará".In 1999, he joined Brazilian side Santos where he spent one year and then joined various Brazilian clubs in the lower division like Associação Atlética Portuguesa and São José.In 2001, Ceará joined Santa Cruz where the club became 25th place in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, which resulted relegation to Campeonato Brasileiro Série B.