Vinício was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. At age 23 he came to Italy, joining the Naples representative club Napoli during the 1955–56 season. He style was considered generous and powerful on the field, which soon gained him the nickname "'O lione" (lion) from the Napoli faithful. In total for the club he played 152 games and scored 69 goals in a 5-year period.