In the Marvel comic books, the brilliant scientist Bruce Banner turns into a raging, green monster, better known as Hulk, whenever he gets angry. When this happens, Banner loses his calm, human and intelligent self, and he can no longer control his own actions, as the Hulk only behaves according to its emotions and impulses.
The football version of Hulk is, luckily, very different, although there are similarities. Zenit’s Brazilian striker Givanildo Vieira de Sousa was nicknamed Hulk because of his likeness to the actor Lou Ferrigno who portrayed the Incredible Hulk in a TV-show from the 1970’s. In the beginning of the Zenit career, Hulk was a player whose impulses told him to shoot on goal every time he had the chance, but this season he has been different. It is, as if Hulk finally got access to the calm and intelligent side of his persona, while he still managed to keep his incredible physical strength an powerful shot, and the result is a Hulk in the form of his life.
Hulk, who started this season by helping Zenit win the Russian Super Cup, has been in absolutely amazing form so far this season, and he is currently in the middle of what will most likely turn into the most productive season of his career. After 16 games played in all tournaments so far this season, Hulk has contributed with 12 goals and 13 assists according to WhoScored.com. Staying in the same ballpark, only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Neymar from Europe’s five best leagues have a higher average rating at WhoScored than Hulk.
That Hulk can score goals is however no surprise. The Brazilian has done that ever since he started his career, and last season even saw him become the top scorer in the Russian league, as his 15 goals helped his side win the first league title since he moved to Saint Petersburg in the summer of 2012. The big difference between the Hulk we see this year, and then the Hulk of the past is how well he fits together with the rest of the team, and his number of assists. In the past two season’s Hulk contributed with 13 assists in 49 Russian Premier League matches, or 4239 minutes. That equals to an assist every 326.08 minute. His statistics this season are 11 assists in 1160 minutes spread over 13 Premier League matches, which means he makes an assist every 105.45 minute. On top of this, Hulk average 3.3 key passes per game this season, compared to 2.3 last season and 1.9 in the 2013/2014 season.
Statistics are not the only thing that shows Hulk’s transformation during the past months. When asked what has changed compared to the previous seasons in a recent interview with Zenit’s official website, the Brazilian himself pointed out that he is finally feeling at home in St. Petersburg.
“The first change,” Hulk said, “is that I finally feel completely adapted both in the city and at the club. Now, this is my home. I have a great relationship with the fans, with the other players, with a club that makes me feel confident and I can show it on the pitch and have found my best football.”
Hulk’s signing with Zenit in the summer of 2012 caused a lot of turmoil with both the fans, but also with some of the experienced players in Zenit’s squad. Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Igor Denisov both complained about the exorbitant signings of Hulk and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel.
“I would understand if we got Messi or Iniesta,” Denisov said, “They probably deserve any price. We bought some good players who will clearly help Zenit, but are they really so much better than the current team leaders that they deserve to get three times more?”
Denisov then added: “Zenit have assembled some great players who have won at least as many titles as the new guys. It is not the money that is important. What is at stake is something else entirely: a working atmosphere at the club and respect shown towards your own Russian players – the ones Zenit have always relied on.”
Denisov’s rant got him demoted to the second team together with Aleksandr Kerzhakov, and although they were both forgiven later, Denisov was shipped off to Anzhi soon after.
Despite Denisov’s rant not being against Hulk personally, the unhappiness among some of the leading Russian players in the squad made his integration into the team difficult. Moreover, if things weren’t already problematic enough, Zenit’s biggest ultras group Landscrona did theirs to worsen the situation, when they, half a year after Hulk’s signing, published a manifesto stating that Zenit shouldn’t sign black players.
It is no wonder that both Hulk and Witsel got off to a slow start at their new club, but also that Hulk felt that he had to prove himself worthy of his price tag and the love of the fans. However, it quickly became clear that Hulk was frustrated with the situation, and after Luciano Spalletti substituted him during a Champions League match against AC Milan, he expressed them clearly.
“If the situation with the coach does not resolve itself I may leave the club in the January transfer window.” Hulk said after the game.
During his first season, Hulk only played 18 league matches, in which he scored seven goals as Zenit narrowly finished second after the rivals from CSKA Moscow.
This league standing repeated itself in the following season, although Hulk went to score 17 goals in 24 league matches, just one less than CSKA’s Seydou Doumbia who became the top scorer of the league.
Despite Hulk increasing his score, and often showing why Zenit made him the best-paid player in the league, it was obvious that Hulk still wasn’t a fully integrated part of the team. The Brazilian took too many unnecessary and stupid shots from the distance, and despite being an experienced player his decision-making was poor.
Hulk’s salary compared to the average worker from St. Petersburg.
Hulk was often accused of being selfish, and despite his many goals, many grew tired of his constant shots and dribbles. With his high salary, he was an obvious target for the unhappy fans. A Sport-Express study from February showed that Hulk in one hour earns 13% more than the average worker of St. Petersburg does in an entire month. In fact, It wasn’t until Zenit hired Hulks former manager André Villas-Boas that the Russians got to see him from his best side, and the negativity finally started to disappear.
Hulk and Villas-Boas had worked together at FC Porto, where they won the 2011 Europa League final, and once again, the Portuguese manager managed to get the best out of his Brazilian striker. In Villas-Boas’ first full season in charge of Zenit, the Blue-White-Sky Blues won the league, while Hulk finished as the leading goal scorer in the Russian league.
Under his Portuguese coach, Hulk has found the form of his life, a form that has earned him a comeback on the Brazilian national team, a team he hasn’t represented since the disappointing World Cup tournament on home soil in 2014.
The now 29-year-old Hulk signed a 4-year contract extension with Zenit in February this year, but Hulk is apparently so happy in Russia that he could stay even longer. Asked if he was ready to leave Zenit if he received an offer after his good performances, Hulk replied:
“I’m very happy here. I love St. Petersburg, like Zenit and our fans. My contract ends in 2019, but if the club and our fans want, I am happy to extend it until 2025.”
These are new words from a man who was ready to leave Zenit only six months, but Hulk has finally turned into the kind of player Zenit can build their team around. Even though Hulk still takes many shots, averaging more than five per game, he is now more than ever a team player and no longer just ‘the poor man’s Ronaldo’, as he was once called on Twitter.
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