In a recent interview, Alexander Gorshkov, a former defender who played for Zenit Saint Petersburg, singled out the club’s Brazilian talent and identified Hulk as the standout figure among them. He explained that Hulk’s presence and play had an immediate and noticeable effect, lifting the blue-white-sky-blue side in ways that others did not at the time.
According to Gorshkov, the 38-year-old striker made a bigger impact on Zenit than Malcolm did. Hulk arrived with a brightness on the field that allowed him to quickly harness the team’s strengths and create opportunities, while Malcolm’s adaptation took longer and involved a slower adjustment to the club’s style and tempo. If Hulk’s left leg faced resistance, he could still threaten with his right foot, a testament to his versatility and precision in front of goal.
Hulk’s tenure with Zenit St. Petersburg stretched from 2012 to 2016. During that period he appeared in 148 matches for the blue-white-blue squad, scoring 77 goals and providing 59 assists. While wearing the Zenit shirt, he helped the team clinch the Russian league title and also tasted success in domestic cup competitions, including the country’s Cup and the Super Cup. His contributions cemented his status as a key figure during his time with the club, and his impact remains a benchmark for many fans and analysts assessing Zenit’s Brazilian talent.
Malcolm’s transfer from Barcelona to Zenit occurred on August 2, 2019. The deal was valued at 40 million euros, with an additional 5 million euros paid as a bonus to the Spanish club. In the 2022/23 season, Malcolm emerged as the Russian Premier League’s top scorer, tallying 23 goals. That same year, the Russian Football Union recognized him as the league’s best football player, underscoring his influence as a marquee attacker for Zenit during the mid-2020s.
A former captain of Wings of the Soviets offered his view on what Zenit fans might expect from the ex-zenit standout, highlighting the ongoing discussion about the roles these two Brazil-born forwards have played in shaping the club’s attacking philosophy and success. The dialogue around Hulk and Malcolm reflects broader conversations among fans and pundits about how star players adapt to Russian football and how their legacies endure long after their peak years.
Overall, the debate around Hulk’s legacy at Zenit versus Malcolm’s arrival underscores the club’s evolving attacking identity. Hulk’s early impact and consistent output helped set a high bar for Brazilian talents at Zenit, while Malcolm’s memorable 2022/23 season demonstrated how strategic transfers can inject fresh scoring prowess into the squad. Together, they symbolize a period of significant offensive talent that left a lasting impression on Zenit’s modern history and on the expectations of supporters across Canada and the United States, where Zenit’s performances have long drawn attention from fans and analysts alike.