Hulk (footballer)
Givanildo Vieira de Sousa (born 25 July 1986), mononymously known as Hulk (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈʁuwki]), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Atlético Mineiro.
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Hulk with Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Givanildo Vieira de Sousa | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 July 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Campina Grande, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Atlético Mineiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | Serrano-PB | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Campinense | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Vilanovense | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | São Paulo | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Vitória | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Vitória | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | → Kawasaki Frontale (loan) | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Kawasaki Frontale | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | → Consadole Sapporo (loan) | 38 | (25) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | → Tokyo Verdy (loan) | 42 | (37) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Tokyo Verdy | 11 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Porto | 99 | (54) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2016 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 97 | (56) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2020 | Shanghai SIPG | 100 | (51) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021– | Atlético Mineiro | 135 | (76) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Brazil Olympic (O.P.) | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2021 | Brazil | 49 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:38, 15 April 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 September 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
After starting out professionally with Vitória and then playing three years in Japan, he played several seasons in Portugal with Porto, winning ten titles – including the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League and three national championships. He was crowned the league's top scorer once. In 2012, he joined Russian Premier League side Zenit Saint Petersburg for €60 million, winning all three domestic honours and being named the competition's best player and being top scorer, once each. He was transferred to Shanghai SIPG for an Asian record €58.6 million in 2016.
Hulk made his international debut in 2009, and played for Brazil at the 2012 Summer Olympics as one of the three permitted over-age players. He went on to represent the Brazilian senior team in their 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup victory and fourth-place finish at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
He is described by FIFA's official website as "a direct powerhouse of a centre- or wide-forward who knows his way around the box". He is strongly built for a footballer and acquired his nickname due to his likeness to actor Lou Ferrigno, who played the Incredible Hulk on the eponymous television show in the 1970s.