Born in
Pirabeiraba,
Joinville, Santa Catarina, Emerson started his professional career with
Caxias. In 2003, he left for Italy. As he was not a
European Union citizen, Emerson only able to play for amateur side, starting at
Atletico Calcio of
Serie D Nuorese Emerson next joined
Nuorese of
Eccellenza Sardinia. He won twice promotion for the Sardinian side, which followed the team being promoted to
Serie C2 in 2006, which also made Emerson registered as a professional player and able to sign by any Italian professional club, as FIGC only forbidden clubs signing non-EU players from abroad and from amateur league, except Serie A clubs had one conditional quota (for replacing non-EU players that sold abroad or released). Emerson benefited from the clause that Serie D clubs, which were promoted to Serie C2, could hire amateur non-EU players in the previous season as professional players. Emerson then scored nine league goals for Nuorese in the professional league in seasons before he left the club in January 2008.
Taranto In January 2008, Emerson was transferred to
Serie C1 side
Taranto Sport in
co-ownership deal. He made 11 appearances in the Italian 3rd highest level. Taranto bought him outright by making a higher bid in a closed tender between the two clubs.
Lumezzane In July 2008, Emerson was loaned to
Lumezzane of Prima Divisione Group A from Taranto (Group B), which became a
co-ownership deal later. He was the regular starter of the team and scored five goals in
2009–10 Lega Pro Prima Divisione. On 25 June 2010, Lumezzane failed to agree a price for the remain 50% registration rights, thus the clubs submitted their bid in envelope to buy the rights from the opposite side (i.e. a closed tender). On 30 June, the envelopes opened in
Lega Pro headquarter, and Lumezzane made a higher bid to buy Emerson outright. On 13 July 2010, he signed a new three-year contract with
Lumezzane.
Reggina On 18 August 2011, he signed with Serie B club
Reggina.
Livorno He scored his first goal in Serie A with a "stinging drive from " in a 3–3 draw with
Torino on 30 October 2013, describing it as "absolutely the best goal of my career", then produced arguably a better one against
Cagliari the following February: "collecting possession 40 metres from goal, [he] shifted the ball out of his feet and smashed an unstoppable left-footed effort into the top corner".
Later years: back to Sardinia and amateur football On 18 August 2020 he joined
Olbia. In July 2023, Emerson signed for Sardinian Serie D club Budoni; he left the club just a month later to return to Nuorese, this time in the regional amateur
Promozione league. ==Honours==