Carlos Dos Santos Bio
Carlos Joaquim Antunes dos Santos, commonly known as CJ dos Santos, is an American-born professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club San Diego FC. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he developed his game in local youth academies before moving abroad to join the famed Portuguese club Benfica. He has represented both the United States at youth level and, more recently, the Cape Verde senior national team.
Standing 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) tall and wearing jersey number 1 for San Diego FC, dos Santos began playing the sport at the age of two and rose steadily through competitive development systems on both sides of the Atlantic. His career has taken him from Philadelphia to Lisbon, to South Florida, and finally to the West Coast as one of the early signings for the MLS expansion side.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Joaquim Antunes dos Santos was born on 24 August 2000 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. He is the child of a Portuguese mother and a Cape Verdean father, a heritage that would later shape his international options at the senior level. Growing up in a soccer-friendly environment, he was introduced to the game at just two years old.
His earliest organized football came with Fox Chase SC, where he played from 2004 to 2006, before continuing his development with Philadelphia SC between 2006 and 2011. He then spent two formative years with FC Delco from 2011 to 2013, a club well known in the region for producing college-level talent. These local academies gave him a steady foundation in fundamentals and competitive match play.
Philadelphia’s strong soccer ecosystem provided his next step. At the age of thirteen, he was brought into the Philadelphia Union academy in 2013, beginning his most structured professional pathway and exposing him to higher-level coaching, fitness demands, and tactical discipline.
Path to Soccer
Drawn by the chance to train at one of Europe’s most decorated clubs, dos Santos signed with the academy of Portuguese powerhouse S.L. Benfica in August 2016 at sixteen years old. The move represented a major leap from regional play in Pennsylvania to a globally respected development system in Lisbon, where he worked alongside elite coaches and fellow prospects.
His time with Benfica’s youth ranks from 2016 through 2019 prepared him for senior football. He graduated to Benfica B for the 2019–2022 period, where consistent training and second-tier match minutes allowed him to mature as a goalkeeper. The Portuguese pathway gave him the tactical and technical grounding he would later carry into Major League Soccer.
Carlos Dos Santos Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
Carlos Dos Santos turned professional with Benfica B in Portugal’s Liga Portugal 2 competition. His first senior appearance came on 25 January 2021, in a 1–1 draw with F.C. Porto B, marking a significant milestone after years of development through the Benfica academy structure.
Across three seasons with the reserve side, dos Santos gained valuable experience training alongside established professionals while facing senior opposition. His time at the B team helped him build the rhythm, composure, and distribution skills expected of a modern goalkeeper, and it positioned him for a move back to North American football.
Inter Miami Era (2022–2024)
On 11 February 2022, dos Santos signed with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami CF, returning to the country of his birth. He joined a club in the midst of a high-profile transformation and provided depth in the goalkeeping department during a competitive stretch of MLS matches.
During his Inter Miami tenure, dos Santos was part of a squad that captured major silverware, including honors tied to the club’s trophy haul in 2023. Although he operated behind more established starters, his presence in training contributed to a demanding environment that raised the overall level of the goalkeeping group.
His two-year stay in South Florida gave him sustained exposure to MLS rhythms, travel demands, and roster competition, all of which readied him for a starting role elsewhere.
San Diego FC Era (2024–Present)
On 11 December 2024, dos Santos was announced as one of the early signings for San Diego FC, the Major League Soccer expansion club preparing for its inaugural season. The move offered him the opportunity to step into a clear starting role with a brand-new franchise building its identity from the ground up.
As the club’s number one, he has anchored the back line during the expansion side’s debut campaign. His shot-stopping range and comfort with the ball at his feet have aligned well with the demands of a possession-oriented team learning to navigate a full MLS schedule.
The early months with San Diego FC have given dos Santos a chance to establish himself as a long-term starter rather than a depth option, and his performances have drawn attention as one of the more promising young American goalkeepers in the league.
Driving Style and Strengths
Dos Santos is a tall, composed goalkeeper whose 1.93 m frame helps him command his penalty area on crosses and high balls. Trained in the Portuguese school of goalkeeping, he is comfortable playing short passes out of the back and building attacks from deep, while also showing the reflexes needed for one-on-one situations.
Notable Events and Milestones
His first professional start with Benfica B against F.C. Porto B on 25 January 2021 marked his arrival as a senior footballer, while his December 2024 transfer to San Diego FC signaled his emergence as a top-tier MLS starter. Most recently, his approved switch to represent Cape Verde and call-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad stand as defining moments in his international journey.
Carlos Dos Santos Career Wins
Carlos Dos Santos has accumulated competitive honors across club and country, most notably as part of Inter Miami’s silverware-laden campaigns during his time in South Florida. His selection for a FIFA World Cup squad represents the highest team-level achievement of his career to date, with personal award totals still in the early stages of being built at San Diego FC.
Inter Miami Highlights
During his two-year stint with Inter Miami from 2022 through 2024, dos Santos was part of a roster that lifted major domestic trophies in 2023. Although he did not always start, his role as a reliable backup in a championship-caliber squad contributed to one of the most decorated stretches in club history.
Other Wins & Performances
Before his senior breakthrough, dos Santos represented the United States at the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship and the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he gained tournament experience against top international youth opposition. His senior switch to Cape Verde was approved by FIFA on 13 May 2026, followed by a call-up from head coach Bubista for the 2026 FIFA World Cup roster announced on 18 May 2026.
Carlos Dos Santos Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Carlos Joaquim Antunes dos Santos was born in Philadelphia to a Portuguese mother and a Cape Verdean father, a dual heritage that ultimately shaped his international career path. Both family roots connect him culturally to two football-passionate nations, and his later decision to represent Cape Verde at senior level reflects this lineage.
Personal Life
Public details about dos Santos’s personal life remain limited, with no confirmed information on marital status, spouse, or children. He was previously identified as an American international in his youth career, before formally switching national team allegiance to Cape Verde in May 2026.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represents dos Santos’s first full year as the starting goalkeeper for San Diego FC, the MLS expansion side that opened its debut campaign with him between the posts. Wearing the number 1 jersey, he has been tasked with setting defensive standards for a new franchise learning to compete across a demanding league schedule.
Early-season performances have highlighted his comfort in possession and his aerial reach, both of which have suited the team’s preferred build-out style. As the schedule has progressed, his consistency in organizing the back line has helped San Diego FC establish a competitive identity during its inaugural run.
Looking ahead, dos Santos balances his club duties with international anticipation following his approved switch to Cape Verde and his expected inclusion in the country’s 2026 FIFA World Cup plans. His 2025 form at San Diego FC will likely shape both his long-term role with the expansion club and his standing heading into the global tournament.