Born in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Braga District, Quim started his career at S.C. Braga. He played his first game in the Primeira Liga during the 1994–95 season, becoming the club's undisputed first-choice in the following years.
Benfica
Quim moved to S.L. Benfica in 2004 and was, at first, intermittent in keeping the goalkeeper spot at his new club, having shared the goal with José Moreira in the title-winning 2004–05. He started the following campaign as first-choice, but injury to him as well as Moreira saw Marcelo Moretto being signed during the winter break, controversially earning a place in the starting eleven. Quim's fortunes turned around at the beginning of 2006–07, as new coach Fernando Santos announced the former Braga player would be his first goalkeeper. Subsequently, the latter rarely put in a bad performance since regaining first-choice status, even when the manager was dismissed early into the next season. In 2008–09, with Benfica retaining the same three goalkeepers under Quique Sánchez Flores, Quim started the campaign, lost the job to Moreira in between, was even demoted to third-choice and finished again as starter, with the team eventually finishing third. He also started the final of the latter competition, and saved three penalty shoot-out attempts against Sporting Clube de Portugalfor the win.
Braga return
In the 2009–10 season, Quim played all the matches and minutes as Benfica won the league for the first time in five years, adding to this the honour of being the keeper with the least conceded goals. At the end of June 2010, however, the 34-year-old was released, returning to first professional club Braga on a three-year deal, but spent his first year on the sidelines nursing an achilles tendon injury. Quim returned as first-choice for 2011–12, helping Braga to the third place with the subsequent qualification to the UEFA Champions League. However, after the arrival of Beto from FC Porto for the following campaign, he only featured in six official contests in its first part, including once in the league against S.C. Beira-Mar and the 1–2 Champions League home loss to Galatasaray SK. After Beto left for Sevilla FC in January 2013 Quim was reinstated as the starter, one of his first appearances being a 0–0 home draw against former club Benfica in the Portuguese League Cup semi-finals, won in a penalty shootout. Manager José Peseiro also selected him for the competition's decider against Porto, where a penalty by Alan signified the game's only goal and Braga's first trophy win in 47 years.
Later years
In May 2013, at nearly 38 years of age, Quim announced he would not renew his contract with Braga and subsequently retire after 19 years as a professional– he played his last match on the 11th against C.D. Nacional, a 1–3 home loss for his 382nd game in the Portuguese top division. However, two months later, he went back on his decision and signed for C.D. Aves in the second level. On 17 May 2016, Quim renewed his contract for another year. He was still first-choice in 2016–17, when his team returned to the top division after ten years. In the following season, Quim faced stiff competition from newly signed Adriano Facchini in the league, but the 42-year-old was first-choice in the club's victorious run in the Taça de Portugal, which marked its first major conquest in 87 years of history. He remained connected to Aves after his retirement, as director of Institutional Relations.
International career
After representing his country at every level from the under-16s upwards, and winning the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in 1994, Quim made his senior debut in August 1999 in a 4–0 victory against Andorra, after which he was Portugal's third-choice keeper at UEFA Euro 2000, enjoying a short cameo as a substitute in the 3–0 win against Germany in the group stage's final round before establishing himself as number one in the 2002 FIFA World Cupqualifying campaign. However, a failed drug test saw him miss out on the competition held in South Korea and Japan. Quim was second-choice for the national side during both Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, behind the habitual Ricardo. He was originally named in the squad for Euro 2008 but suffered a wrist injurythe day before their first game, ruling him out of the tournament – he was replaced by Porto's Nuno. Quim started the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign as first-choice, but lost his place midway through it to another Braga player, Eduardo, as Portugal eventually qualified. After being league champion for Benfica, he would be left out of the squad for the final stages in South Africa.
