On July 25, 1986, Givanildo Vieira do Sousa was born in the Brazilian town of Campina Grande. For football fans, he is better known as Hulk or, in Portuguese, Ulk. Since 2012, the Brazilian has been playing for Zenit St. Petersburg. Role: right and center forward.
Interesting facts about the Hulk:
- in children's mini-football he was a defender;
- when he was angry, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, like the Incredible Hulk from the comic book;
- I couldn’t stand Japanese judges - I constantly quarreled with them;
- before joining Porto, he suffered from “football egoism” - he did not like to give the ball or pass;
- I met my wife in Japan.
On the field, he can be compared to a tank: the Brazilian, compared to other players, looks more like a heavyweight boxer than a football player (Givanildou weighs 85 kg with a height of 180 cm). And his nickname, the Hulk, makes the attacker the namesake of the comic book character - a hefty green monster of incredible strength. On the one hand, this allows him (the real Hulk, not the fictional one) to literally break through the defense line, on the other hand, his technique suffers. Of course, the Zenit striker looks great among Russian football players, but he didn’t show anything special as part of the Brazilian national team at the 2014 World Cup. In principle, it could have been a disappointment for the Selecao if the entire team had not completely disappointed their fans at the home World Cup.
After the 2014 World Cup, Hulk was no longer called up to the Brazilian national team.
But Hulk has always been praised for his dribbling, excellent shots from afar, accurate passes and free kicks. One way or another, after the failure at the 2014 World Cup, the new coach of the national team, Dunga, stopped calling the player to the national team.
Hulk has played for the Brazilian national team since 2009. These were mostly friendly matches. Of the tournaments, he only managed to take part in the 2013 Confederations Cup and the last World Cup. He scored 9 goals for the national team and played 40 matches.
Where did the nickname Hulk come from? It's simple: as a child, the boy tried to imitate that same superhero. That's what the father began to call his son. Hulk, by the way, was born into a family with seven children. Six of them were girls, so Hulk had to start working early to help his parents feed the family. The family had its own butcher shop at the market, and until the age of 16, the future football player sold meat. But he thought more about football: at the age of 12, the boy entered a children's football school, and 4 years later he began his professional career at the Vitoria club.
He played only one match for the main team of his first “adult” team. And already in 2005 he moved to the Japanese Kawasaki Frontatel, where he joined Juninho, Marcus and Augusto.
After playing in Japan until 2008 and changing three teams there, Hulk ended up in the Portuguese Porto, where he spent five seasons. Having played 165 matches, the Brazilian scored 78 goals, that is, statistically he scored in every second match.
They invited Hulk to Porto after watching a video of his game. The signing of the contract took place in Japan, and the newcomer’s debut was lumpy: in his first match for the club, the blue-and-white “dragons” lost to “Sporting” 2:0.
It was at Porto that Zalk met Jesualdo Ferreiro, who coached the team. The coach practically molded the young football player anew. So much so that Hulk became Portugal's top scorer in 2010. True, before that he managed to fight with the stewards in the match with Benfica and was disqualified for 4 months. Well, whatever you name the yacht, that’s how it will sail! The Brazilian football player's favorite comic book hero was also distinguished by his intemperance and tough temperament.
In 2012, Halka moved to Zenit for 60 million euros. The football player got about 10 million, the rest of the amount went to Porto and Renistas (Uruguay). The last club owned 15% of the player's transfer. Another part of the money was given to Vittoria, as the team that raised the player.
Hulk with his wife and children
Having sponsored European, Uruguayan and Brazilian football, Zenit immediately fielded Portugal's top scorer against Terek. Alas, the Hulk is not given his debuts: the St. Petersburg team lost 2:0 to the team from Grozny.
Just a week later, on September 22, 2012, Hulk proved that it was not in vain that he receives millions of euros from Gazprom, and scored his first goal in Russia. True, that match between Zenit and Krylya Sovetov ended in a 2:2 draw.
Hulk’s chances of getting into the Brazilian national team practically disappeared when he switched to Russian football, many observers and experts believe. The Selecao coaching staff practically does not follow the Brazilians from our clubs. This will only happen if Zenit stubbornly remains in first place in the Premier League, and this will clearly be the merit of the team’s forward.
Now the big Hulk will begin to turn into a huge Hulk!
By the way, the Hulk was “used” incorrectly by the team at the World Championships, according to the same sports analysts. For example, they did not allow the forward to take a free kick, although he is good at them. But in defense, the Brazilian himself is to blame for the poor ratings: out of 12 duels, he won only three and did not make a single interception.
Today Hulk and his entire family (the football player has two children) live in St. Petersburg. Last summer there were rumors about the possible departure of the Brazilian from Zenit, but for now the football “tank” remained on the team. Before this, Hulk wanted to leave back in 2012, having quarreled with the then blue-white-blue coach Luciano Spalletti, who directly stated that the forward was not playing well. But later the Hulk apologized and admitted that he was wrong and would try to play better.
Hulk has already played 89 matches for Zenit in three seasons. He scored 44 goals, which again is approximately 1 goal per 2 games according to statistics. As a result, over the course of his entire career at the end of 2014, the Brazilian had 366 matches and 198 goals.
During the time that the Brazilian footballer played for Zenit St. Petersburg, he gained many fans among Russian fans. Hulk is not only a talented striker, but also simply a charming person who quickly joined the St. Petersburg football club and made many friends in our country.
Hulk, career
Football played a decisive role in the Hulk’s biography, and thanks to this sport, the Brazilian became famous throughout the world. Givanildo Vieira de Souza, known throughout the football world as the Hulk, was born in Campina Grande on July 25, 1986 in a large family, and in order to help his parents, he began to earn extra money very early, and in his free time he played ball with friends.
In the photo - Hulk
This hobby captured the Hulk so much that he decided to connect his life with it. At the age of twelve, Givanildo joined the local children's team, and at sixteen he signed the first contract in his career with the Brazilian club Vitoria. As part of this team, Hulk entered the field first as a defender, then as a midfielder, and only then became a striker.
He played his official debut match for Vitoria against Fluminense, and a year later Hulk was sold to the Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale, where he showed his outstanding qualities and proved himself to be the best. At the age of nineteen, the Brazilian became a real star of Japanese football and managed to play in two more clubs - Tokyo Verdi and Consadole Sapporo, to which Kawasaki loaned him.
In the photo - Hulk's wife Iran
Tokyo Verdi later bought the Hulk for five billion yen.
After three years spent in Japan, the Brazilian footballer moved under a contract to the Portuguese Porto, while the club bought the rights to Hulk only fifty percent, and the other half was from the Uruguayan Rentistas and an investment company from Argentina.
Hulk with his wife
During his four years at Porto, the Brazilian center forward played ninety-nine matches, scoring fifty-four goals and received the title of top scorer in Portugal.
He came to Russia in 2012, signing a four-year contract with St. Petersburg Zenit, where his stay at first was not as smooth as he would have liked. The football player did not like the way the coach worked, and the Hulk himself was more than once reproached for not being very diligent in his duties.
But all these frictions continued only during the first season of the Brazilian’s stay at Zenit, and then everything changed for the better, and the Russian team became truly home to Hulk. The footballer admitted that he learned a lot while playing at Zenit, and he will never forget about life in St. Petersburg.
In the photo - the Hulk family
After the end of the contract with the St. Petersburg club, Hulk began playing in the Chinese Shanghai SIPG. The compensation for this transition was a record for the domestic Premier League and amounted to almost sixty million euros.
Zenit earned forty-five million euros from the sale of Hulk, including two million bonus euros for his successful play in Shanghai.
Unfortunately, the start of the game in the Chinese championship was not very successful for the Brazilian - in the first match he was injured and was carried off the field on a stretcher.
And last summer, he was disqualified for two matches for supporting his former teammate, who provoked a fight in one of the championship matches.
Hulk's personal life
The Brazilian football player met his future wife while in Japan. Hulk's wife Iran gave birth to two sons - Ian and Thiago.
In 2016, the family already had three children - the couple adopted a girl named Alicia. The football player's family follows him everywhere, and this is the best support for Hulk.
The name of this popular football player will almost never disappear from newspapers and magazines. He is distinguished by strength, speed, aim and accuracy of strikes. But the Hulk did not immediately become famous. For several years he tried to gain a foothold in the main team, but nothing worked. But persistence and perseverance played a role.
Soon he was noticed and invited to play in one of the most prestigious football clubs. Soon this striker became famous throughout the world. Today the forward plays for the Brazilian national team.
Many people are interested in what kind of person is the Hulk? What is his fate? This topic has become fascinating and intriguing, which is why it is worth talking about it in more detail.
Height, weight, age. How old is football player Hulk?
Immediately, as soon as the popular super football player appeared as part of the St. Petersburg Zenit, he attracted the attention of many Russian fans. He literally flew across the field, each of his attempts at goal became a scoring chance. Fans were interested in the height, weight, age, and age of the football player Hulk. He never hid his parameters. He weighs 83-84 kilograms and is 180 centimeters tall.
Hulk, whose photo in his youth and now amazes with his strength and spontaneity, says that he achieved such success thanks to the support of his family, incredible endurance and perseverance. He went towards his goal, despite the difficulties. Now he is recognized all over the world, and not just in his native Brazil and the Russian Federation.
Biography and personal life of Footballer Hulk
The boy was born in 1985. At birth he was given the name Givanildo Vieira de Souza. Apart from him, there were only girls in the family. Father, Jovan de Souza, ran his own shop where he sold meat. Mother Maria de Souza helped her husband and raised eight children.
From the age of 7, the strong and resilient boy helped his parents, as he considered himself responsible for the well-being of the family. At this time, the comic book superhero Hulk became his favorite hero. The muscular and slightly ferocious character attracted the boy so much and was similar to him in appearance that his father jokingly called his son the Hulk. After some time, all the neighbors and relatives did not call the future famous football player anything else.
From the age of 12, Hulk, like many other Brazilian children, began to play football. Soon for him the game becomes the meaning of life, without which he can no longer live. He was noticed by one of the trainers at the Ze do Egito children's academy and invited him to study. Then the young man played in the teams of Vilanovense, Sao Paulo, and Vitoria (El Salvador).
At the age of 16 he began to play in the Vitoria team. At first he played as a defender, then in the center, and only a few months later he became a striker. But soon our hero ended up on the bench, where he sat for two long years.
In 2005, Hulk was offered to play for one of the Japanese clubs, to which he agreed. But after losing a season at Kawasaki Frontal, he moved to the 2nd division club Consadole Sapporo.” During his performance at the Tokyo Verdi club, the Hulk gains popularity. The biography and personal life of the football player Hulk at this time are becoming interesting for fans of football derbies. In 2008, the football player was noticed by the management of the Portuguese superclub Porto, which soon bought him. Together with the team, the athlete becomes a triumphant three times in the Portuguese championship, cup and super cup of the country. Since 2011, Hulk begins to play for the Brazilian national team. He began to be invited to many European football super teams. But to everyone’s amazement, the great athlete chose the St. Petersburg club Zenit.
In 2016, Hulk Hulk moved to the Chinese football club Shanghai SIPG, where he began to receive more than $20 million every year.
Family and children of football player Hulk
Currently, the family and children of football player Hulk live in St. Petersburg. The beloved wife of the world-famous football player Hulk says that for the sake of the happiness of the children, they decided to stay and live in the northern capital. Our hero very often visits his beloved and sons.
The parents and sisters of the famous football star live in Brazil. Mother and father are very proud of their son and are waiting for him to visit. They are now helping the younger sister of our today’s hero raise her three children.
Football player Hulk's son - Ian
The boy was born at a time when his father was just beginning to become famous. He was named Ian because the mother of the famous football player’s first-born liked the name. Ian is currently 9 years old and speaks several languages very well. Speaks Russian, Japanese, English, Portuguese and Spanish well. Now he has started studying Chinese, because during the holidays Ian will go to Shanghai with his mother, where his father now lives.
The boy studies in one of the St. Petersburg schools. In addition to football, he is involved in athletics, drawing, and classical dancing. The son of football player Hulk, Ian, is a true fan of his father. He calls him Hulk during the match, but in everyday life he calls him daddy.
Son of football player Hulk – Thiago
The youngest son of the popular football master was born at a time when his father was brilliantly playing on the football fields of Europe as part of the Portuguese superteam “Porto”. He tries in everything to be like his older brother, without whom he cannot live even for one minute.
He was named Thiago by his paternal grandmother, who loves her grandchildren very much and spoils them terribly when they come to visit her. The youngest son of the football player Hulk, Thiago, is just learning the basics of training. But now he speaks three languages – Russian, Spanish and English. The boy dreams of following in his father's footsteps and becoming a famous football player.
Football player Hulk's wife - Iran
The girl was born in Great Britain. At age 18, she went to Japan for an internship. Iran's friends offered to attend a local football team's game. Although she was indifferent to the game, she agreed to go. The play of a strong and courageous striker captivated the girl. After the match, one of his friends introduced Iran to the athlete. After talking for just a few minutes, the young people decided that they could not live without each other. Literally a few days later they began to live together. Soon they officially registered their relationship.
After a short period of time, children appeared in the family, who became truly expected and loved.
The footballer Hulk's wife, Iran, and her husband traveled to many countries around the world. She invariably sat on the podium and cheered for her husband. Arriving in St. Petersburg for the first time, the woman fell in love with the city and decided to stay and live here forever.
Currently, she is raising children and is waiting for her beloved husband to visit. She did not move to China. Next summer, Iran is going to cheer for her husband at the world championship, which will be held in Russia.
Givanildo Vieira do Sousa, known in the football world as the footballer Hulk, was born in the small Brazilian town of Campina Grande on July 25, 1986. Currently, the footballer plays for Zenit. Football player's role: right and center forward.
Interview with Hulk
There are several interesting facts about the football player. Givanildu received his nickname in honor of the Incredible Hulk from the comics. Just like the comic book hero, when he was angry, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Now Hulk is a striker, but as a child he played defense. Football player Hulk never liked Japanese referees, but he met his wife in Japan. See here.
The football player is tall and has a thick build, and when he takes to the field he can be compared to a boxer who competes in the heavy weight category. The Hulk really looks like his namesake from the comics - a huge green monster who possessed unimaginable physical strength. His large figure helps him break through to the enemy’s goal, literally pushing everyone away with his broad shoulders. At Zenit, the football player is a clear star, he fits perfectly into the team and looks great in the squad. Unfortunately for the fans, while playing for the Brazilian national team, he failed to do anything worthwhile or useful for the team at the 2014 home World Cup. And if it weren’t for the failure of the entire team at that championship, a lot of negativity would have fallen on the Hulk. He was always distinguished by his ability to receive and handle the ball; his powerful shots from afar and from the penalty areas were successful. But all these skills did not help, and after the fiasco at the 2014 World Cup, the football player was no longer invited to play for the national team. The forward has played for the national team since 2009, but these were always friendly games, and the only serious one was the Confederations Cup, which was held in 2013, and the failed World Cup itself.
The Hulk's childhood quickly ended, since besides him, his parents had 6 more children and all of them were girls. Footballer Hulk began working early in order to help his parents feed and clothe his sisters. Fortunately, his parents had a butcher shop, and the future star sold meat there. Despite a difficult childhood, the boy did not give up his dream of playing football professionally and at the age of 12 he was enrolled in a football school for children, and he began his professional career at the age of 16 in the Vitoria club. But Hulk played one match for Vitoria and in 2005 he was sold to the Japanese Kawasaki Frontatel, where Juninho and Augusto became his teammates. In total, Hulk spent three years in Japan and changed three teams. There, he met his future wife. After playing in Japanese clubs, he was invited to the Portuguese Porto. The footballer played there for 5 seasons. In total, 165 matches were played for Porto and 78 goals were scored. Look at the photo of Hulk in Porto
A significant meeting for the football player took place in Porto. Jesualdo Ferreiro, the team's coach, molded the player from scratch and made him the best forward in Portugal in 2010. What happened in the football player’s career. A scandalous fight with stewards in a game with Benfica served as the reason for his disqualification for four whole months. Read here, ?
In 2012, the football player transferred to Zenit St. Petersburg. The deal was worth 60 million euros, of which Hulk got 10 million. The rest of the transfer was divided between Porto and Vitoria. The debut at Zenit took place against Terek, but the white-blues lost this game with a score of 2:0. But, soon Hulk justified his multimillion-dollar transfer and scored his first goal on Russian soil against Krylya Sovetov, but, unfortunately, this goal did not help Zenit win and the game was played as a draw. The transfer to Zenit and the move to Russia practically minimized the chances of playing for his native team. Since his game practically went unnoticed by the management and coaching staff of the Brazilian national team. Look at the photo of Hulk in Zenith
Analysts believe that Hulk's failure at the World Cup in Brazil is due to his improper use on the playing field. The forward was not allowed to take free kicks at all, although this is his strong point. But this applies to breaking free throws, but in defense, Hulk himself did not show his best side and out of 12 duels he won only 3, and he did not shine in interceptions.
Today, Hulk has been living in the cultural capital of Russia for three years. Together with him, his family moved to St. Petersburg: his wife and two children. In the summer, there was a rumor in the football world that the comic book super hero might leave Zenit, but it turned out to be just a rumor and the Hulk continues to play for the St. Petersburg club. At Zenit, he had a conflict with the coach, but it was resolved and did not hinder his career. and the Zenit forward played 89 matches in three seasons. He scored 44 goals, the statistics are not bad, he scores every game. (Read
Hulk is a Brazilian football player, one of the twenty highest paid players in the world, the owner of the most powerful blow - he sends the ball at a speed of up to 214 km/h. Zenit colleagues remembered, in addition to his undoubted playing talent, one “trick”: the winger came out for the 2nd half, completely changed into a fresh uniform.
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Football player Hulk
Hulk has an easy-going character; it’s not a problem for the forward to give an autograph, take a selfie or answer a couple of questions. This is how journalists learned that the widely circulated news about a Brazilian receiving Japanese citizenship was nothing more than a rumor.
Childhood and youth
Givanildo Vieira de Souza, better known as the Hulk, was born in the municipal town of Campina Grande, Brazil. The parents of the future football player, Giovano and Maria, were engaged in trade before Socorro Souza - they had their own butcher shop at the local market. They also sold used cars at one time. In addition to their son, Giovano and Maria have 6 more daughters: Nayara, Jessica, Angelica, Gilvania, Corrinha and Nilda.
As the only boy in the house, Zhivanildu was forced to help his parents from early childhood in order to feed a large family. The only entertainment he had at a young age was playing football on the street or on the beach with local boys, as well as comic books. The child preferred the green giant strongman Hulk to other superheroes, for which he received the nickname from his father. Since then, the athlete began to be called the Hulk.
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Hulk with dogs
As a teenager, the guy spent more time with the ball, and at the age of 12 he entered the local football school “Ze do Egito”. A year later, the young football player was already in the Serrano children's team, which plays in the 4th Brazilian division. The strong-built teenager was of interest to scouts, so at a young age Hulk changed many clubs.
After a year spent in Serrano, there was a season in the Portuguese youth club Vilanovense, then another year in the youth team of one of the most titled Brazilian teams, Sao Paulo. Interestingly, in children's and youth football, Hulk played as a defender, and occasionally as a midfielder.
Football
At the age of 16, the aspiring football player joins the Victoria club from the Brazilian city of Salvador and enters into his first professional contract with the team. But Hulk was destined to play only one game for this club. This is how the Brazilian’s sports biography begins. In 2005, the rights to the football player were bought by the Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale, which brought together a whole diaspora of Brazilian players. In Season 1, Hulk played 12 matches, scoring only once. Therefore, the Kawasaki coach decided to loan out the young athlete.
Football player Hulk
The forward moved to another Japanese club - Consadole Sapporo, which at that time played in the country's second most important football league. At this club, the Brazilian was first used as a forward striker. As a result, having played 38 matches, Hulk scored 25 goals and took 2nd place in the championship scorers race.
In 2007, the striker again went on loan to the Japanese 2nd League club Tokyo Verdi. During the season, Hulk scores 37 goals in 42 matches and becomes the top scorer of the championship. The Tokyo Verdi team, thanks also to the Hulk, enters the main tournament of Japan (J-League) and buys out the contract of its best striker.
However, in the first division, the Brazilian managed to play only 13 games, in which he scored 7 goals. The Portuguese champion drew attention to the productive forward, and Hulk signed a long-term contract with Porto.
Hulk in the Porto club
The forward’s debut in a blue and white T-shirt was the Portuguese Super Cup match against Sporting, which Hulk’s team lost. After this game, Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira decided to use the Brazilian as a wing striker, which brought results. During the 4 seasons he spent with this team, Hulk played in 99 matches and scored 54 goals.
The striker became the champion of Portugal three times with Porto, won the Portuguese Cup three times, and also lifted the Portuguese Super Cup three times. And in 2011, having beaten compatriots from Braga in the Europa League final, Hulk and his team became the winner in the second most important European club tournament.
Hulk and Neymar in the Brazilian national team
Among the player’s personal achievements during that period, the title of top scorer of the Portuguese Championship of the 2010/2011 season was highlighted. The forward was also recognized as the best player in Portugal in 2010 and 2011. This success was noticed by representatives of the management of other clubs. Porto regularly received offers to sell Hulk's transfer sheet. They talked about the interest in the Brazilian from famous European clubs Liverpool, Valencia, and Inter Milan.
The Makhachkala team Anzhi agreed to pay €80 million for the transfer, as well as pay a salary of €10 million every year under the contract. But she was refused by the player himself, since Hulk said that he would only move to a truly strong club that would fight for medals in the national championship and for European trophies. In September 2012, Hulk moved to Zenit. The St. Petersburg team paid €60 million for the player’s transfer.
The athlete played his first match for Zenit against Grozny Terek, but according to personal tradition, he again lost the debut match. Adaptation to the Russian championship was difficult. Hulk's name was regularly associated with dissatisfaction with the coach, players and the situation in the club; several times the player told the press that he would like to leave St. Petersburg.
Anatoly Timoshchuk and Hulk at the Zenit club
Representatives of the management of London Chelsea, Istanbul Fenerbahce, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid also added fuel to the fire, who openly declared their desire to acquire a physically strong (height 180 cm, weight 85 kg) forward.
Anyone who watched the winger celebrate a successful goal could be convinced of the Hulk's power: he pulled off his T-shirt, showing off his torso and flexing his muscles for the camera. At the same time, the coaches noted that the football player did not have much love for training in the gym and preferred to work with the ball.
The athlete didn’t even tell his friends how he achieved such an impressive muscle mass. And Hulk’s mother claimed that it was all about the milk she gave her son as a child. The striker himself said that even when he was little he loved to carry weights. On top of that, according to rumors, the man has an incredible leg size of 63. Trying to knock down such a hero on the field is not a good idea.
Hulk at the Zenit club
When Hulk adapted to the new team's playing style, he returned to his former playing form, becoming a key player for Zenit. With this team, the striker became the Russian champion in 2015 and won the Russian Super Cup of the same year. In addition, the forward was recognized as the championship's top scorer, scoring 15 goals in 28 games.
Also, the Brazilian legionnaire was included in the list of the best football players of the Russian championship three times, and in 2014 he won the “Most Famous People of St. Petersburg” award in the “Athletes” category. In total, Hulk played 148 matches in a Zenit jersey, in which he managed to score 77 goals.
In June 2016, for €55 million, the leader of the St. Petersburg club went to the Chinese Shanghai SIPG (Shanghai Tellays) to conquer another peak. According to press reports, the forward's salary in the new team was €20 million per year. In the 2016/2017 season, the Brazilian striker managed to score 8 goals for the club and gave 5 assists.
Hulk's best goals for ZenitThe first match for the Asian team ended in the 21st minute - Hulk suffered an ankle injury and was out of the game for 2 months. After receiving medical treatment, he secured bronze medals in the Chinese Super League for Shanghai. The following season, the club, with the help of the productive Brazilian, reached 2nd place and reached the final of the Chinese Football Association Cup for the first time.
Nevertheless, against the backdrop of his performances at Zenit, the Brazilian’s “Chinese tour” seemed to Russian fans to be a mistake. On Instagram and other social networks, fans have repeatedly turned to their idol with a request to return to Russia, because fans remember the video of the amazing goals with which the Hulk so pleased the fans.
In May 2017, Hulk was accused of attacking Guaizhou coach Yu Ming and hatred of the Chinese. The management of Shanghai SIPG did not confirm these reports, saying that such statements provoke hostility between representatives of different nationalities. According to the player, it was all due to lack of knowledge of the language; people simply did not understand each other.
Hulk in the Shanghai SIPG club
In June 2017, information appeared in the Russian media that Zenit management was studying the possibility of returning the footballer to the team. Sports director of the “blue-white-blue” Konstantin Sarsania told reporters about this. It was assumed that Hulk would return to Zenit on loan.
“As long as I play football, I will always strive to defend the Brazilian flag. Not everything depends on me, but I will definitely come to Russia – if not as a player, then certainly as a fan.”In addition to the offer from the Russian club, the Brazilian had several other options from other European teams under consideration.
Hulk’s career in the national team is not as successful as his club career. The forward was called up to the country's main team for the first time in 2009. The debut was a friendly game against the England team. In 2013, Hulk won the Confederations Cup with the Brazilian national team. So far this is the only achievement of the striker in the national team. Also with the Olympic team, the football player won 2nd place and silver medals at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.
Hulk in the Brazilian national team
At the disastrous home World Cup for Brazil in 2014, Hulk took part in almost all matches and became the main striker in the national team along with Neymar and Fred. At the world championship, the forward scored the only goal, but the goal was canceled due to a violation of the rules. After this World Cup, the coach of the national team stopped calling Hulk to the team.
According to polls conducted by O Globo, compatriots did not include the football player in the symbolic team that they would like to see at the World Cup in Russia. There was a place in the team for David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, but not Hulk. So the Brazilian national team came to the tournament - without one of the brightest and most optimistic players.
Personal life
Hulk met his future wife, Iran, while playing in Japan. One day, in a store that sold goods from Brazil, a man noticed an attractive girl and left her a phone number. Iran is 8 years older than the Hulk.