Rikelme

Rikelme Hernandes Amorim Rocha (born 16 July 2003), simply known as Rikelme, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a left back or an attacking midfielder for Cuiabá.

Not to be confused with Rikelmi.
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Amorim and the second or paternal family name is Rocha.
Rikelme
Personal information
Full name Rikelme Hernandes Amorim Rocha
Date of birth (2003-07-16) 16 July 2003
Place of birth Cuiabá, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Left back, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Cuiabá
Number 20
Youth career
2018–2023 Cuiabá
2019–2020 → Cruzeiro (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Cuiabá 24 (1)
2022 → Dom Bosco (loan) 7 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:38, 8 August 2023 (UTC)

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.

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.

Career statistics
As of 6 August 2023[6]
Club Season League State League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cuiabá 2020 Série B 00———2[lower-alpha 1]020
2021 Série A 007010—9[lower-alpha 2]0170
2022 10——2[lower-alpha 3]03[lower-alpha 4]060
2023 1214010——171
Total 1311102020130421
Dom Bosco (loan) 2022 Mato-Grossense —73———73
Career total 1311832020130494
  1. Appearance(s) in Copa Verde
  2. Eight appearances in Copa FMF, one appearance in Copa Verde
  3. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  4. 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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