He debuted on 23 May, in a match against Fluminense, in Pacaembu, for the Rio-São Paulo Tournament. The Santos team lost 2-1, and Pepe entered the second half in the place of Boca, who had already taken the place of Del Vecchio. His first great moment as a professional athlete was in the 1955 Paulista Championship. In the last match of the event, Pepe scored the triumph goal against Taubaté, in Vila Belmiro, and with the victory Santos became Paulista Champion for the second time, exactly 20 years after the birth of the young left-winger. By that time, the power of his left foot was already known, which is why he earned the nickname Canhão da Vila. Goals from fouls and penalties became frequent. And on three occasions his left boot also provided olympico goals. (scored directly from a corner kick) Among the outstanding matches in his career, Pepe likes to highlight the second of the 1963 Intercontinental Cup matches against Milan, at the Maracanã. In the first game, in Milan, Santos lost 4 to 2. In the second, they were losing 2 to 0 at the end of the first half, but the Alvinegro club returned determined in the second half and completely turned the match around to 4 to 2, the same scoreline of the first match.
Canhão da Vila scored two goals, both with his powerful left leg, taking a free kick. In the third and decisive match of the Intercontinental Cup (predecessor to the FIFA Club World Cup), which was again played at Maracanã, Peixe won by 1 to 0, with a penalty goal by Dalmo. As Pelé was out of the game due to injury, Pepe would play a huge role in getting the trophy for Santos. A year earlier, in Lisbon, Santos had become club world champions for the first time after defeating Benfica, who were 2-time defending European champion. Pepe considers this match to be the best in Santos history. Santos beat Eusébio's team 5-2, at the iconic Estádio da Luz. Pelé scored three times, with Coutinho and Pepe scoring one goal each. On top of the 2 World Cups, Pepe won 25 official club titles, including 11 São Paulo Championships, six Brazilian Championships, 2 Copa Libertadores de América, 2 Intercontinental Cups, and 4 Rio-São Paulo Tournaments, becoming the player with most titles won at a single club. He also holds the record for most wins in the São Paulo Championships, with 13 titles won (11 as Santos player, one as Santos coach and one as coach of Internacional de Limeira), Canhão da Vila is also the record holder for total Brazilian Championships, with 7 titles - six as a Santos player and one as a São Paulo coach. On the 21st of September, 1967, Pepe received the
Prêmio Belfort Duarte in recognition of his exceptional career discipline, having played over 700 matches for Santos without a single
ejection. He held the undisputed command of the Santos left-wing until 1965, when he reached the age of 30. From there until 1969, the year in which he ended his career, he began to share playing time with the young Abel from a Rio de Janeiro club, and after 1966 with Edu, from the Santos academy. Pepe is one of the rare examples of a player who spent his entire career on a single team. Pepe dedicated 15 years of his life to Santos' professional team, going so far as to refuse million dollar proposals and offers from Europe, to remain loyal to his club. Counting from his first year as a youth prodigy, until his last as a professional, he spent 18 years at the Santos sports club. ==International career==