Belinho was born in Rio de Janeiro and started his youth career at Vasco da Gama before joining Dinamo Zagreb's academy. He moved to Kustosija at the start of 2026, scoring one goal in eight appearances since his arrival.
Despite playing in the Croatian third division, his technical profile — an attacking midfielder with exceptional ball control and spatial awareness — has attracted the attention of some of Europe's best-resourced scouting departments.
The path from Kustosija to Barcelona is well established. The club's sporting director Deco has met Belinho and his representatives in Croatia, and his agent Andy Bara also handles Barcelona players Dani Olmo and Joan García. Both Mikayil Faye and Lovro Chelfi used Kustosija as a stepping stone before completing moves to the Camp Nou in recent seasons.
The route is deliberate — UEFA regulations prevent Barcelona from signing Belinho directly until he turns 18, meaning a period at a smaller club suits all parties.
The key complication is a decision Belinho must make in the coming weeks about international eligibility. Having grown up in Croatia from a young age, he qualifies to represent either Brazil or Croatia at youth level. The choice will shape both his development and which clubs most aggressively pursue him.
Borussia Dortmund had the most advanced contact at the start of the year, with his representatives holding face-to-face meetings in Germany. Real Madrid and Arsenal are also reported to have registered interest. Barcelona's advantage, for now, is the agent relationship and the established pipeline.