Hulk marks 500 goals, shares recovery journey: “Never stopped believing” | OneFootball

The forward Hulk experienced a special night at Arena MRV. Scorer of the first goal in Atlético’s 3-0 victory over Bahia last Wednesday (5th), in the 32nd round of the Brazilian Championship, the number 7 netted the 500th goal of his professional career and celebrated the historic achievement with emotion and gratitude.

After the final whistle, the black-and-white idol spoke to the press in the mixed zone and talked about the personal moment he is going through, after having gone through a period of ups and downs and even being benched in Jorge Sampaoli’s team.

Hulk was sincere when commenting on the difficulties he recently faced and highlighted how much self-confidence and daily work were fundamental to regaining his good form. “Football really affects us. There’s no point in coming here thinking it’ll be easy and you’ll just enjoy yourself. It’s not easy! There’s a huge responsibility and a lot of pressure, not just from outside, but internally and personally as well. I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself, but I confess I never stopped believing. I kept working, always believing that the bad phase would pass. Thank God it’s passing, in the last few games I’ve had 3 direct involvements in goals. So I’m happy about that and even happier with our team standing out.”, said the forward.

The goal scored against Bahia, besides opening the scoring at Arena MRV, was symbolic. Hulk reached the impressive milestone of 500 career goals and made a point of valuing the moment he’s living at Atlético. Asked which of his many goals was the most important, the forward chose precisely the latest one:

The number 7 also made a point of expressing gratitude to football for everything he has achieved over the years. In an emotional tone, Hulk reflected on his victorious journey and the recognition he has received both on and off the field:

“It’s hard to describe such a historic moment in my life, in my career. Not even in my best dreams could I have imagined it would be like this, with so many achievements both collectively and individually. Not just on the financial side, but emotionally as well. I always say that I am very grateful to football. For everything that, through football, I can do in other people’s lives. It’s very gratifying to go out on the street and be idolized by children, teenagers, young people, adults, or the elderly. Football really affects everyone.”, he added.

With the historic goal, Hulk continues to consolidate his name among the greatest idols in Atlético’s history. Since arriving at the club in 2021, the forward has reached 132 goals in the black-and-white shirt, being decisive in important titles such as the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil, both won in 2021.

Now, in a new moment of confidence, the number 7 is aiming for the final stretch of the season, looking to increase his numbers. The big challenge for the black-and-white superhero this season is on the 22nd, when Atlético faces Lanús (ARG) in Asunción, in the grand final of the Copa Sudamericana.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.