1. Early life and youth career
Camilo's football journey began in Brazil, where he developed his skills within the youth system before embarking on a professional career that would take him across continents.
1.1. Childhood and youth background
Born on July 21, 1988, in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo state, Brazil, Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo spent his formative years immersed in the sport. He honed his talents in the youth ranks of Oeste Paulista Esporte Clube, a club known for nurturing young talent in the Brazilian football landscape. This early exposure to competitive football laid the groundwork for his future professional success as a forward.
2. Club career
Camilo's professional club career spanned several countries, marked by periods of remarkable goalscoring prowess, key achievements, and notable transfers.
2.1. Early career in Brazil and Malta
Camilo began his professional journey in 2009 with Corinthians Alagoano in Brazil, where he made 8 appearances and scored 1 goal. After one year, he moved to Europe, joining Qormi FC in Malta in the summer of 2009. His time at Qormi was immediately successful; he scored the winning goal on his debut against Sliema Wanderers and followed this with hat-tricks against Msida St. Joseph on September 26, and against reigning champions Hibernians on October 4.
His impressive form attracted interest from a South Korean club during the winter transfer window, but Qormi rejected the offer, citing the bid as too small and emphasizing Camilo's crucial role within the team. He played a vital part in Qormi's successful season, achieving an exceptional record of 24 goals in 22 league matches, averaging more than one goal per game.
2.2. Short stint in K League
On July 7, 2010, Camilo transferred to K League side Gyeongnam FC in South Korea. While at Gyeongnam, his registered name in the K League was 까밀로KkamilloKorean. However, he struggled to replicate his prolific scoring form from Malta, appearing in seven first-team games without scoring a goal. Despite this, he did find success with the club's 'B' team, where he scored six goals in seven appearances.
2.3. Success and transfer controversy in MLS
Following his time in South Korea, Camilo underwent a trial with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) prior to the 2011 season. His trial proved successful, and he signed with the club on March 17, 2011. He made his MLS debut as a late substitute in the Whitecaps' opening game of the 2011 season against Toronto FC. On April 2, 2011, he scored his first two goals for the Whitecaps against Sporting Kansas City, contributing the team's second and third goals in a 3-3 comeback draw. This achievement made him the first player in MLS history to score two goals in stoppage time. For his consistent performance and a team-high 12 goals during the 2011 season, Camilo was named the Whitecaps FC Player of the Year.
Camilo signed a contract extension with Vancouver on February 1, 2012. However, he experienced a less consistent start to the 2012 season, regaining his form only in the final games. He contributed a goal and three assists in a dominant 4-0 victory against Chivas USA. Overall, he tallied five goals and seven assists in 28 matches during the 2012 MLS season.
In 2013, Camilo rebounded significantly, becoming a potential candidate for the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. He recorded six assists during the season. He notably concluded the 2013 season by scoring a hat-trick at home against Colorado Rapids, which secured him the MLS scoring title with 22 goals.
Following his impressive 2013 season, Camilo became the subject of transfer interest from Rosenborg BK, Norway's most decorated club. At the time, Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi stated that Camilo was under contract and expected to return for the 2014 season. However, in January 2014, rumors linking Camilo to Querétaro of Mexico's Liga MX intensified, with some media outlets even reporting that a deal was complete. The Whitecaps management quickly denied these reports, and details about the transfer were subsequently removed from Querétaro's website. Despite the denials, Camilo continued to train with Querétaro. Whitecaps officials publicly labeled Camilo's behavior as "unacceptable and inappropriate" and "unprofessional." The incident sparked a split reaction among fans, with some expressing anger at Camilo and others at the Whitecaps front office for their handling of the situation.
2.4. Career in Liga MX
Camilo's career eventually transitioned to Mexico, where he spent a significant portion of his professional playing time across several clubs in Liga MX, the country's top football division.
2.4.1. Querétaro FC (first stint)
On January 17, 2014, the prolonged transfer saga concluded with Camilo's move to Querétaro FC. Vancouver Whitecaps FC received a then-club record transfer fee of approximately 2.10 M USD for his services. In his first stint, Camilo quickly made an impact, becoming a top goalscorer in the Apertura 2014 tournament with 12 goals, a feat he shared with Mauro Boselli.
However, his time at Querétaro was also affected by injuries. Weeks after returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for the Clausura 2015, he sustained another injury, forcing him to miss the remainder of the Apertura 2015 and a significant portion of the Clausura 2016. He eventually returned on April 15, 2016, in a home match where Querétaro defeated Club América 1-0. It was during this period, in 2016, that he earned the nickname "El Lobo," meaning "The Wolf" in Spanish.
2.4.2. Other Mexican clubs
After his initial successful tenure at Querétaro FC, Camilo continued his career within the Mexican league system, playing for several other prominent clubs. These included Tijuana for the 2019-20 season, Mazatlán FC for the 2020-21 season, and Deportivo Toluca FC for the 2021-22 season. During these periods, he continued to contribute goals and experience to his respective teams, maintaining his presence in the competitive Liga MX.
2.4.3. Querétaro FC (second stint)
Camilo returned to Querétaro FC for a second stint, joining the club for the 2022-23 season. This period marked the final chapter of his professional football career. On April 28, 2019, during his previous time at Querétaro, he scored his final goal for the club and provided an assist to teammate Ayron del Valle in a 2-1 home victory against Veracruz. The following week, on May 4, 2019, he played his final game against Necaxa, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss. As of April 28, 2019, Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo remains Querétaro FC's all-time top scorer with 67 goals across all competitions.
3. International career
Despite being born in Brazil, Camilo never represented his birth country at any level. In July 2013, while playing for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, he publicly expressed his consideration of representing Canada internationally. Camilo had applied for permanent residency in Canada and planned to pursue full citizenship, a process that his Ghana-born former Whitecaps teammate, Gershon Koffie, was already undertaking. When asked about the prospect, Camilo stated, "Vancouver is a good city, Canada is a beautiful country and if I get the opportunity I will decide with my family." Ultimately, he later moved to Mexico and became a naturalized Mexican citizen, ending the prospect of representing Canada.
4. Playing style and characteristics
Camilo Sanvezzo was known for his distinctive playing style as a forward, primarily operating as a center forward. He was characterized by his clinical finishing, tactical intelligence, and ability to score goals from various positions. His height of 67 in (170 cm) and weight of 157 lb (71 kg) belied his physical presence in the attacking third, often demonstrating agility and sharpness in front of goal.
His aggressive and opportunistic playing style earned him the nickname "El Lobo" (El LoboThe WolfSpanish) in 2016 during his time at Querétaro FC. This moniker reflected his predatory instincts on the field, often lurking and pouncing on scoring opportunities with a relentless and determined approach, much like a wolf in pursuit of its prey. His right foot was his preferred and more dominant foot.
5. Career statistics
The following table details Camilo Sanvezzo's club appearances and goals across various competitions throughout his professional career. The "Other" column primarily refers to appearances in the K League Championship for Gyeongnam FC and the CONCACAF Champions League for Querétaro.
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Qormi | 2009-10 | Maltese Premier League | 22 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 24 |
| Gyeongnam FC | 2010 | K League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 2011 | Major League Soccer | 32 | 12 | 4 | 1 | - | 36 | 13 | |||
| 2012 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 0 | - | 31 | 5 | |||||
| 2013 | 32 | 22 | 3 | 3 | - | 35 | 25 | |||||
| Total | 92 | 39 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 43 | ||
| Querétaro | 2013-14 | Liga MX | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 10 | 3 | |||
| 2014-15 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 1 | - | 19 | 13 | |||||
| 2015-16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |||
| 2016-17 | 29 | 13 | 11 | 7 | - | 40 | 20 | |||||
| 2017-18 | 28 | 11 | 9 | 3 | - | 37 | 14 | |||||
| 2018-19 | 33 | 13 | 5 | 3 | - | 38 | 16 | |||||
| Total | 118 | 53 | 29 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 147 | 67 | ||
| Tijuana | 2019-20 | Liga MX | 20 | 6 | 3 | 4 | - | 23 | 10 | |||
| Mazatlán F.C. | 2020-21 | Liga MX | 40 | 21 | 0 | 0 | - | 40 | 21 | |||
| Deportivo Toluca | 2021-22 | Liga MX | 55 | 14 | 0 | 0 | - | 55 | 14 | |||
| Querétaro | 2022-23 | Liga MX | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 2 | |||
| Career totals | 360 | 155 | 42 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 406 | 177 | ||
6. Honours
Camilo Sanvezzo earned several team trophies and individual awards throughout his professional football career, recognizing his significant contributions and goalscoring ability.
Querétaro
- Copa MX: Apertura 2016
- Supercopa MX: 2017
Individual
- Maltese Premier League top goalscorer: 2009-10
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC Player of the Year: 2011, 2013
- Canadian Championship Golden Boot: 2013
- MLS All-Star: 2013
- MLS Golden Boot: 2013
- MLS Goal of the Year Award: 2013
- Liga MX Golden Boot: Apertura 2014 (shared with Mauro Boselli)
7. Retirement
Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo concluded his professional football career after the 2022-23 season with Querétaro FC, the club where he had previously achieved the status of all-time top scorer. His status as a "former professional footballer" confirms the end of his active playing days following a career that saw him play across Brazil, Malta, South Korea, Canada, and Mexico.