Antonio Carlos

BIOGRAPHY

Antônio Carlos was born March 7, 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is a defender in Major League Soccer.

Growing up in the Coelho Neto neighborhood of northern Rio de Janeiro, Antônio Carlos began his youth career at Fluminense and won three youth Carioca titles before questions over his height meant he was released. In search of first team opportunities as a teenager, Carlos turned to non-league team Sendas, winning the Copa Rio in 2010.

In 2011, Carlos joined the youth setup at Corinthians initially on a loan deal before Corinthians bought 40% of his economic rights from Audax. He first appeared in a friendly against Osasco. Scoring twice in a 2–1 win over former-team Fluminense in the 2012 São Paulo Youth Cup final, he was promoted to the main squad a month later and made his professional debut on March 10, 2012, starting in a 1–1 home draw against Guaranifor the Campeonato Paulista championship.

Antônio Carlos had subsequent loan spells with Série B teams Oeste and Avaí before being released at the end of 2014.

Antônio Carlos signed as a free agent with Tombense, a Série C team owned by Eduardo Uram, one of the leading agents in Brazil. From Tombense, Carlos was loaned to multiple Série Ateams, first back to Avaí and then Flamengo, Ponte Preta and Palmeiras.

Antônio Carlos' one-year loan deal with Palmeiras in 2017 was initially extended by the club for the start of the 2018 season before they decided to permanently purchase 50% of his economic rights in July 2018, signed the defender until June 2023. Carlos made 22 appearances in Série A as Palmeiras won the title in 2018.

On December 30, 2019, Carlos joined MLS team Orlando City on loan ahead of the 2020 season. He made his debut for the team in the season opener on February 29, as the team kept clean sheet in a 0–0 draw against Real Salt Lake. He scored his first goal for the team on October 3, 2020 in a 3–1 win over New York Red Bulls.

On December 1, 2020, Carlos made the move to Orlando City permanent ahead of the 2021 season.

In March 2012, Antônio Carlos was called up to the Brazil U20s to compete in the International Mediterranean Cup in Barcelona, Spain. In March 2013, he was again called up, this time to play in the 2013 South American Youth Football Championship in Argentina but was a last minute cut after the coaching staff decided to add Jordi Almeida, a third goalkeeper, to the squad instead.