Nascimento started his career in Portugal. He turned professional at the age of 17 representing Vitória Setúbal and Vitória Guimarães a few years later. In season '91-'92 he decided to join the team of RKC Waalwijk, a Premier League football club in the Netherlands. He stayed there one season, the following two seasons he was signed by Roda JC. It was in this period of time he was elected for the national team of Portugal. In 1994, he was transferred to FC Utrecht. Here David Nascimento played 4 seasons and was of substantial worth to his team. In season '98-'99 coach Martin Jol invited him to represent RKC Waalwijk and made him team captain. Three seasons later he went to RBC Roosendaal, a year later Sparta Rotterdam welcomed the defender. At Sparta Rotterdam he ended his career as a professional football player at the age of 38 having played over 500 official matches.
The coach
Having ended his career as professional soccer player David Nascimento started in season 2004-05 as coach of the C Juveniles of Sparta Rotterdam. With this team he won the Nike Tournament and therefore qualified to compete other European Tournament winners such as Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United en Juventus. At the end of this season coaches David Nascimento en Adri van Tiggelen took over from Sparta coach Mike Snoei and were asked to lead Sparta Rotterdam to promotion to the so-called Eredivisie, the Dutch Premier League. Sparta Rotterdam won all play-off matches resulting in a promotion and was thus allowed to come out on the highest level again. The next season David Nascimento was a trainee of coach Louis van Gaal at AZ Alkmaar. In season 2006-07 Nascimento became coach of FC Utrecht under 18 with which he ended in second place in the national competition for under 18 teams. Also he was appointed to coach assistant in the first team by manager Foeke Booy where he stayed until the end of 2008. In 2009 David Nascimento received the highest coaching diploma Coach Betaald Voetbal.
The technical director
On 7 May 2014, Cypriot side APOEL appointed Nascimento as the club's new technical director. On 27 August 2014, his contract with APOEL was terminated by mutual consent.
