Born in Osasco, São Paulo, Ederson started his football career in 2008 at local club São Paulo FC with whom he played one season, before joining Benfica in Portugal. Here, at the age of 16, he spent two years as a junior, eventually leaving for Second Division side Ribeirão in 2011. A year later, he joined Primeira Liga side Rio Ave. In summer 2012, he officially signed a contract with Rio Ave. In May 2015, following a string of good performances and a call to the Brazil under-23 squad, he signed a new contract with the club that would last until 2019.

On 27 June 2015, Ederson rejoined Portuguese champions Benfica. Then, in July, he officially signed a five-year contract with the club, in a deal worth €500,000, and set a €45 million release clause. Rio Ave would keep 50% of the upcoming keeper’s economic rights. In the 2015–16 season, Ederson started as a second choice in line for the first team, defended by compatriot and international Júlio César. Ederson first played some matches in the Segunda Liga with the reserve team and in the Taça da Liga with the main squad, before playing in the Primeira Liga on 5 March 2016 against local rivals Sporting CP, replacing injured Júlio César. Benfica won the Lisbon derby 0–1 and took the first place of Primeira Liga. He would then be part of eleven more victories that would seal Benfica’s 35th league title, their third in a row. Five days later, he played the Taça da Liga final against Marítimo, which Benfica won 6–2. In addition, he played three matches in the Champions League campaign, where Benfica reached the quarter-finals. In his next season, he and Benfica won the treble of Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal and Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.

Ederson acquired Portuguese citizenship in 2016. His body is heavily covered in tattoos, including a rose and a skull on his neck, angel’s wings on his back and a Portuguese League trophy on his leg, which he won for Benfica in 2016 and in 2017. Ederson also holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Football (Soccer) Drop Kick, which he achieved after kicking the ball 75.35 m (247 ft 2 in) across the ground at the Etihad Campus on 10 May 2018.

On 1 June 2017, Benfica announced that Ederson had joined Premier League club Manchester City for £35 million (€40 million). At the time, the transfer made him the second most expensive goalkeeper of all-time – currently fourth highest – after Gianluigi Buffon (£33 million), whose transfer fee, although the second highest ever in pounds sterling, still remained the highest of all time in euros (€52 million in 2001) until Alisson’s (€75 million in 2018) and now Kepa Arrizabalaga’s (€80 million in 2018). Ederson’s transfer equalled Axel Witsel’s as the largest fee a club has ever paid for a Benfica player.

Ederson was immediately inserted as Pep Guardiola’s first choice goalkeeper, supplanting Claudio Bravo. He made his competitive debut for the club on 12 August 2017 in a 0–2 away win at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he kept a clean sheet. On 9 September against Liverpool, Ederson suffered a kick to the face by Sadio Mané, and was forced to leave the game after eight minutes of treatment. Ederson received eight stitches, and Mané was sent off by referee Jon Moss and banned for the subsequent three matches. Ederson made his next start the following week in the Champions League against Feyenoord, sporting a piece of protective headgear. Ederson believed that Mané’s collision was accidental, and accepted an apology from the Liverpool player.

On 19 August 2018, Ederson became the first Manchester City goalkeeper to provide a Premier League assist, as his goal-kick was converted by Sergio Agüero for the opening goal in a 6–1 win over Huddersfield Town.

Ederson was named in Brazil’s provisional squad for Copa América Centenario but was cut from the final squad due to injury. His debut for the national team came in a 3–0 win over Chile in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in October 2017. In May 2018, he was named in Tite’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia.

Ederson has been described as an agile, commanding, and physically imposing keeper, who possesses both physical strength and excellent reflexes and shot-stopping abilities between the posts. He also developed a reputation as a penalty saving specialist during his time with Benfica. However, he is mostly highly regarded for his outstanding distribution and skill with the ball at his feet: his control and confidence on the ball enables him to retain possession and quickly play the ball out from the back on the ground with his hands or either foot – even when put under pressure – or launch an attack with long kicks. Although naturally left-footed, he is capable of using either foot. Regarding his distribution, former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given described Ederson as “the best goalkeeper in the world with his feet” in 2018; his range of passing has also led to him be described as a playmaker in the media.

In May 2019, Ederson was included in Brazil’s 23-man squad for the 2019 Copa América.

On 26 July 2020, Ederson was awarded the Golden Glove for keeping the most clean sheets (16) in the 2019–20 Premier League season after a 5–0 home win against Norwich City.