Fruminense midfielder: Low-key but shining in the Club World Cup, Chelsea needs to be wary of a fatal blow

In the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Hercules, a midfielder in the Fruminense team who is famous for his shy personality, is attracting global attention with his outstanding performance. In previous matches against Inter Milan and Riyadh Crescent, Hercules scored successfully twice on the bench. Now, his existence undoubtedly sounded the alarm for Chelsea.

From the initial Plan B to the core figure in the knockout stage today, the 24-year-old Hercules has firmly occupied the starting position. Facing the upcoming key battle with Chelsea, coach Renato Gaucho did not hide his trust in the beloved player: "Don't be confused by Hercules's low profile. He is very smart and decisive on the court. When I decided to change him to the court, I only told him one thing - keep doing what you are good at, and the opportunity will come naturally." Coach Renato added: "And when he really seized the opportunity, he performed very well. Hercules has always been very important to us, and he knows how to make the best contribution to the team. We are lucky to have him."

knockout reversed the Riyadh Crescent, and Hercules made the final decision

backwards the quarterfinals with Riyadh Crescent. With a 1-1 stalemate and the opponent gradually took the initiative, coach Renato made several tactical adjustments at the beginning of the second half, the most critical part of which was to replace Hercules. He came on as a substitute, replacing Martinelli, who opened the first record for the team in the first half.

Hercules lived up to expectations. After receiving a header assist from Samuel Xavier in the 70th minute, he calmly controlled the ball and shot accurately, helping the team win 2-1, successfully eliminating the last Asian representative and advancing to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. In this game, he played for 45 minutes, which not only enhanced the hardness of midfield defense, but also created key lethality on the offensive end.

Previously, in the quarterfinals against Inter Milan, Hercules also came on as a substitute and scored a goal to secure the victory, helping the team win 2-0 to defeat the Serie A giants. In just one week, the quietest player in Brazil stood in the center of the stage twice in a row, becoming the key to the team's progress.

Despite his introverted personality, Hercules' performance on the court was extremely aggressive. He is competent in the role of a defensive midfielder and has the ability to accidentally intervene in the offense. Once he gets the chance, his touch is simple and efficient, and his shots are clean and neat, like an experienced striker.

Although teammate Martinelli may be dissatisfied with being replaced in advance, Hercules proved with practical actions why the head coach is willing to hand over the heavy responsibility of "the last blow" to him. For the Blues Chelsea, this player whose name comes from the Greek mythology Hercules is undoubtedly a threat that cannot be ignored in front of the defense line.

Since Martinelli will be suspended for cumulative yellow cards in the semi-finals, Hercules is almost certain to play as a starting player. This Premier League powerhouse must attach great importance to this player who seems inconspicuous but actually has amazing lethality. Can Hercules play the role of "Terminator" again in the upcoming contest? The answer is worth looking forward to.