The son of Italian immigrants (Gaetano Sani and Maria Gabrielli), Sani started his career at local club Palmeiras, XV de Jaú, Comercial-SP and São Paulo FC, and played in the Argentine First Division for Boca Juniors in 1961, where he played 13 games, scoring 4 goals. He then played in Italy for "Serie A" club A.C. Milan, with whom he won one "scudetto" in the 1961–62 season, followed by the 1962–63 European Cup.