Early years in Brazil Kerlon made his professional debut for Cruzeiro in May 2005 for a
Copa do Brasil match against
Baraúnas. Kerlon scored his first professional goal on 25 February 2007 in Cruzeiro's 4–1 victory over
Ituiutaba in the
Campeonato Mineiro. While at Cruzeiro, Kerlon became well known for his trademark skill, named the "drible da foquinha" or
seal dribble, where the ball is bounced continuously on the forehead while running. Opposing players often foul the performer of a seal dribble, such as in September 2007, where
Atletico Mineiro player
Dyego Coelho struck Kerlon with his elbow and was suspended for five matches.
European football Kerlon was signed by
Chievo in 2008. Like the deal that Inter bought
Júlio César and
Victor Obinna, Inter borrowed the non-EU registration quota from Chievo instead of using its own quota. Lega Calcio documented Chievo signed Kerlon but he would leave for Inter at a later time. Cruzeiro also announced that the club and third-party owner
EMS Sigma Pharma sold 80% rights to Kerlon's agent
Mino Raiola for €1.3 million. EMS and Cruzeiro retained the remaining 20% rights. He made his début for Chievo on 29 October, against
Lazio as a substitute; one of only four appearances that season largely due to a knee injury sustained in March 2007. In July 2009, Kerlon officially signed a deal with Inter until June 2012. Kerlon continued to suffer from knee injuries during his time at Inter which some journalists cite as the reason for his minor impact in the Serie A. On 31 August 2009, Kerlon was loaned to
Ajax with an option to purchase; Inter also subsidised Ajax in order to finalize the loan. He returned to Inter for the start of the 2010–11 season, but was injured again during the pre-season and suffered a long-term absence from football.
Back to Brazil On 26 January 2011, Kerlon was announced as a new player of
Paraná Clube on loan and the club borrowed him until 8 August 2011. He played three times in
2011 Campeonato Paranaense. On 21 July 2011, he completed a one-year loan move to
Nacional de Nova Serrana. Nacional participated in 2011
Minas Gerais Cup and
2012 Minas Gerais League. Kerlon only played once in the state league.
Japan In August 2012 he joined
Japan Football League side
Fujieda MYFC on free transfer. On 16 September 2012, Kerlon made his league debut against
Zweigen Kanazawa, coming on as 59th-minute substitute. He scored his first goal for the club in his next match, scoring in the 77th minute in a 3–0 win over
Sony Sendai. In his first season in Japan he scored three goals and provided seven assists in eight games. In his second season at the club, Kerlon played 14 matches and scored 6 goals before his knee troubles affected him once more. He was forced to return to Brazil for knee surgery, keeping him out of action until February 2014. On 20 January 2014, he left the club.
United States In September 2014, he trained and played a few games with
Atlanta Silverbacks but quickly ruled out the transfer possibility by saying ''"I always had the dream and the intention to play in the United States, whether it's in MLS or the NASL, I really like the country, I really want to be here, because I am closer to Brazil, and this opportunity came to me. I am very happy to be here."'' On 17 March 2015, Kerlon signed with
Miami Dade FC.
Malta In September 2015, Kerlon arrived on the island of Malta for a trial with
Birkirkara but instead signed for
Sliema Wanderers on a free transfer. On 19 September, he scored his first goal for the club, scoring the winner in the 2–1 win over
Mosta.
Slovakia After a spell back in Brazil with
Villa Nova where he made three appearances in the
Campeonato Mineiro, Kerlon signed for
Slovak Super Liga side
FC Spartak Trnava on a one-and-a-half-year contract. However, he made only four appearances before his contract was terminated at the end of the season.
Retirement On 20 October 2017, after spending three months without a club, Kerlon publicly announced his retirement from football. ==International career==