Five years after the previous time, Holk has been called up to the Brazil squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Chile, Argentina and Peru.
The formal reason is the threat of the big leagues not to release players to South America, which forced coach Chicha for another nine hours, but in the eyes of the Brazilians the official reason is that Hulk deserves to be there more than anyone else.
In 43 games in which Atletico Mineiro has taken part this season, the 35-year-old striker has scored 19 goals and netted 11. Much to his credit, Gallo has won the regional league (Minerva), leading the Brazilian, qualifying for the Copa Libertadores semi-finals and close to the Brazilian Cup semi-finals. .
The team from Belo Horizonte is the best show today in South America, and Holk is the star.
Photo: AFP,
When you see his performance this season - from the wonderful cooking in the game against River Plate to the push of the Overlandia Franco player who went viral because of the power with which he threw the poor guy five meters to the right - the question arises how this healthy wonder managed to disappear for so long?
His physical figures are exceptional - hence the obligatory nickname - and the talent in his legs is not what you see every day.
"Like the first summons"
Holk has tremendous left-handedness, phenomenal speed and the breaking power of a chariot tank, qualities that were supposed to keep him in the top for many years to come.
"The summons to the team moved me as if it was my first summons in my career. Now I come full of desire to help and fight for my country."
His country is one of the reasons Holk has never been a Brazilian consensus.
Unlike most Brazil stars who burst into consciousness in local teams and from there flew to Europe, the green giant became a star in the Japanese league.
It was only after three years of bombing quantities of goals in Asia that he moved to Porto, and only then did he receive his first summons to the national team.
In those years in Portugal, which included four championships, three trophies, a Europa League and amounts of goals, Holk was a regular player in the national team and had a high status.
Europe's big teams chased after him, but due to economic preferences he was actually sold to Zenit St Petersburg.
There, after suffering racist revelations from the stands and criticism of his high salary and clashing with his coach Luciano Spalletti during the Champions League game, the Brazilian started bombing in quantities in Russia as well.
Also starred in Zenit uniform, Photo: Getty Images,
At the same time, he won with the team in the Confederations and saw up close the 7: 1 against Germany in the World Cup semi-finals when he started in the squad and was replaced in the half.
After four years at Zenit he took his talent to China, where he also scored endlessly, but the farther he got from the world football center, Europe, the farther he got from the Brazilian national team.
The signing at Atletico Mineiro in January after five years in China allowed Hulk to play for the first time in his Brazilian career, allowing the Brazilians to closely watch the strengths of the striker, who until recently was recognized as parting ways with his wife just to marry her young niece.
"His muscles have muscles," fans wrote on the networks after the first training session.
"He loses five pounds of sweat in a game," his coach revealed.
The Brazilians were exposed to the new Hulk, as strong and powerful as ever, but also technical, team and one who is able to play on the wing and in the link.
"He definitely deserves a chance on the team," said former player Walter Casgrande. "He is not the player he was in 2014, he is much better."
Returning to the team, Photo: From Twitter,
