A biography for Hulkhasn’t been written yet.
“I am really happy Villas-Boas is making a mark in England, and it would be fantastic to play under him again one day.”
“At the time I was in Japan I was left to choose between Porto and Atletico Madrid but I preferred Porto because I thought it would be easier to adapt.”
“When you win, there's congratulations. When you lose, the world is falling apart.”
“I admire Romario a lot, he was my idol together with Ronaldo, but I do not have anything to prove to anyone. What I have to do is play football.”
“I was a huge fan of the Incredible Hulk as a child. My parents nicknamed me Hulk as they thought I resembled the character. The name has stuck with me ever since.”
“I want to win titles with Shanghai.”
“Cristiano Ronaldo is a match-winner too and scores a lot of goals, and when you talk about the best player in the world it's between those two, though my vote would go to Messi.”
“I love St Petersburg, Zenit and the fans.”
“I don't think my style of playing is different from the classic Brazilian style.”
“After three years in Japan there were some options to play in Europe, but I chose Porto because when I was 15 I went to their stadium once and said to myself, 'One day I will play here.'”
“I was very happy in Portugal.”
“I turned down an offer to represent Portugal.”
“I'm just thankful for my parents blessing me with good genes, I guess.”
“There is not one style in particular that suits me. I think that every formation has its pros and cons. It's crucial to have a coach who understands your strengths and weaknesses. Obviously, I prefer to play up front, close to the opponents. That way I can make use of my strengths in one-on-one situations.”
“We never know what is going to happen tomorrow.”
“I will not lie, people know I'm a footballer and I had to seize the moment with Zenit's financial offer.”
“I liked living in Japan - the people are really friendly and love their soccer. I had a great experience playing alongside some strong Japanese players and I always look forward to the next time I visit.”
“To win four titles in a season is quite an achievement.”
“Racism can happen anywhere, in everyday life as well, but it's always very sad, it shouldn't happen.”
“I'm used to playing out on the right for Zenit. I also played out there a lot for Porto.”