Rikelme

Brazilian footballer
Rikelme
Personal information
Full name Rikelme Hernandes Amorim Rocha
Date of birth (2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 20)
Place of birth Cuiabá, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Cuiabá
Number 20
Youth career
2018–2023 Cuiabá
2019–2020 → Cruzeiro (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Cuiabá 40 (1)
2022 → Dom Bosco (loan) 9 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:12, 29 November 2023 (UTC)

Rikelme Hernandes Amorim Rocha (born 16 July 2003), simply known as Rikelme, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Série A club Cuiabá.

Club career

Born in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Rikelme joined Cuiabá's youth setup in 2018, aged 14. After impressing with the under-15 squad, he signed a professional contract in 2019, and was subsequently loaned to Cruzeiro.[1]

Upon returning in December 2020, Rikelme made his first team debut for Dourado on 6 February 2021, coming on as a late substitute for Elvis in a 1–0 home win over Vila Nova, for the 2020 Copa Verde. In 2021, he only appeared with the main squad in the Campeonato Mato-Grossense and in the Copa FMF, as the club opted to field an under-23 team in the latter tournament.[citation needed]

Rikelme was loaned to Dom Bosco for the 2022 Mato-Grossense, being unable to play in the semifinals against his parent club.[2] Upon returning, he featured in two Copa Sudamericana matches before making his Série A debut on 23 October 2022, replacing André Luis in a 2–1 home loss against Goiás.[3]

Converted into a left back during the 2023 season, Rikelme established himself as a regular starter under head coach António Oliveira and scored his first top tier goal on 2 July of that year, netting his team's third in a 3–0 home win over Santos; he also became the youngest player to score for the club in the Série A.[4]

International career

On 6 April 2023, Rikelme was called up to the Brazil under-20s for friendlies in Spain, becoming the first ever player of Cuiabá to be called up to any category of the national side.[5]

Personal life

Rikelme's older brother Matheus Ernandes is also a footballer. A central defender, he was also groomed at Cuiabá.[citation needed]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 November 2023[6]
Club Season League State league Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cuiabá 2020 Série B 0 0 — — — 2[a] 0 2 0
2021 Série A 0 0 7[b] 0 1 0 — 9[c] 0 17 0
2022 1 0 — — 2[d] 0 3[e] 0 6 0
2023 28 1 4[b] 0 1 0 — — 33 1
Total 29 1 11 0 2 0 2 0 14 0 58 1
Dom Bosco (loan) 2022 Mato-Grossense — 9[b] 3 — — — 9 3
Career total 29 1 20 3 2 0 2 0 14 0 67 4
  1. ^ Appearances in Copa Verde
  2. ^ a b c Appearances in Campeonato Mato-Grossense
  3. ^ Eight appearances in Copa FMF, one appearance in Copa Verde
  4. ^ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
  5. ^ One appearance in Copa FMF, two appearances in Copa Verde

References

  1. ^ "Cuiabá recontrata promessa de 17 anos após passagem no Cruzeiro" [Cuiabá bring back 17-year-old prospect after stint at Cruzeiro] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Olhar Esportivo. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Dom Bosco tem dois retornos e perde Rikelme para primeiro jogo contra o Cuiabá" [Dom Bosco have two returns and lose Riquelme for the first match against Cuiabá] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Goiás vence, encerra jejum de seis jogos e mantém o Cuiabá no Z-4" [Goiás win, end their six-match drought and keep Cuiabá in the Z-4] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Rikelme se torna jogador mais jovem a marcar pelo Cuiabá na Série A: "Orgulho"" [Rikelme becomes the youngest player to score for Cuiabá in the Série A: "Pride"] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Rikelme, do Cuiabá, é convocado para amistosos da Seleção Brasileira Sub-20" [Rikelme, from Cuiabá, is called up to friendlies of the Brazil national under-20 team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  6. ^ Rikelme at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
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Cuiabá Esporte Clube – current squad