 Born in Jundiaí, São Paulo, Ezequias started playing football with lowly Sport Club Corinthians Alagoano.He would then spend the following seven seasons in Portugal, with C.S.Marítimo – where he arrived in 2001 alongside Pepe, later of FC Porto, Real Madrid and the Portugal national team fame – Gil Vicente FC, Académica de Coimbra, Porto, S.C. Beira-Mar and Leixões SC, the latter two loaned by the Primeira Liga club after being unable to impress (only one league appearance, a 1–2 away loss against S.C. Braga).