Manoel de Morais Amorim, better known simply as Morais, was born on 17 July 1984 in the northeastern city of Maceió. However, it was in Rio de Janeiro that he began his career, earning his spurs in the youth teams of Vasco da Gama before going on to make his senior debut for the club in 2002. The following year he helped the club to the Rio State Championship title. Morais stayed with Vasco until 2004, competing in that year’s Carioca Championship before completing a move to Atlético Paranesense, in the south of Brazil. He was an integral part of the Atlético team that finished as runners-up in the Brazilian Championship.

His spell at Atlético was short-lived, however, and he returned to Vasco just six months later in July 2004. The following year, he played in the Paranaense Championship and then returned to Vasco in time for the 2005 Brazilian Championship

It was in 2006 that Morais truly came of age, finishing as Vasco’s top scorer in their league campaign, with eight goals. In the same year he also became the youngest player in the club’s history to wear the captain’s armband.