Dida was then acquired by Minas Gerais-based club Cruzeiro in 1994, and in a span of five seasons, he won four state titles, the 1996 Copa do Brasil and the 1997 Copa Libertadores, and two more "Bola de Prata" goalkeeping awards. However, in January 1999, he publicly stated his desire to test his skills in Europe and catch the attention of the Brazilian national team coaching staff in the process, and therefore took the club to court in order to cancel the remainder of his contract so he could sign with Milan, the only European team that had extended him an offer. The ensuing legal battle between the player and Cruzeiro lasted for five months, and a FIFA ruling allowed Dida to be loaned to Swiss club FC Lugano in the meantime so he could keep in shape, though he never played a game. His move to Milan was finalized in May 1999 with a transfer fee of 2.7 billion Italian lire (R$5.2 million) paid to Cruzeiro, which brought the dispute to a close.