Cassierra matches Atlético-MG's top scorer, eases Hulk exit | OneFootball

On the same day Atlético’s fans said goodbye to their idol Hulk, Atlético found reasons to trust their new goal man.

With the goal scored in the 1-1 draw against Botafogo at Arena MRV in the Brasileirão, Colombian forward Mateo Cassierra reached five goals in 2026, moving to the top of Galo’s scoring chart this season, level with the former No. 7.

While Hulk scored his five goals in 22 matches this year, Cassierra reached the same mark in 20 appearances.

The biggest highlight, however, is his current form: the striker has become the deadliest player in the squad over the last eight matches, with four goals and one assist in that span.

"It’s very important for me to feel good in every game. Today I managed to score, but there’s still a lot more to do. Physically, I’m getting better every day. Now I’m getting a run of games, playing more. That’s very important," the Colombian said in a post-match interview.

The teams Cassierra has scored against so far show his presence across every competition the club is playing in:

His strong form in attack has been helped by his partnership with Alan Minda, which has produced important results for the team. Interestingly, when he arrived at the club, Cassierra was asked about competing for a spot with Hulk. Far from feeling pressure, the Colombian was full of praise for his teammate:

"He’s a legend, not just at Galo. At Zenit, everyone loves him. That means a lot to me. I want to help the team and win titles. He’s a star. I want to learn a lot from him," he said at the time.

Investment

Signed in January with the mission of being the team’s "No. 9," fitting the center-forward profile left vacant by Deyverson’s departure, Cassierra was Atlético-MG’s biggest investment of the transfer window: around R$ 40 million.

At 28, he signed a four-season contract.

The striker’s career path:

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

📸 DOUGLAS MAGNO - AFP or licensors