In summer 2005, Santos joined S.C. Braga after serving a loan stint with the same team the previous campaign. During that first year – with the Minho side finishing in fourth position in the league – when Andrés Madrid deflected the ball in for an own goal, he was beaten for the first time in 595 minutes, just 40 short of the record set by Benfica's Manuel Bento; in the only other time he had conceded during that season so far, Red Star Belgrade claimed the away goal that ended the Portuguese's campaign in the UEFA Cup at the first round for the second year running.