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Celebrity

20th Apr 2022

Brazilian footballer ‘Hulk’ welcomes baby with his ex-wife’s niece

Laura Grainger

hulk

New marriage, same in-laws.

Brazilian footballer Givanildo V. De Sousa, more famously known as ‘Hulk’, has welcomed his fourth child – with the cousin of his other three kids.

The soccer player’s wife Camila Angelo, who is the niece of his ex-wife Iran Angelo, gave birth to a baby girl in Miami on Monday.

Taking to Instagram, the Atletico Mineiro star confirmed the arrival of his new daughter Zaya, writing what roughly translates to: “Under the blessing of God Almighty Father and Our Lady, our little Zaya was born.

“Zaya means: ‘enlightened’, ‘luck’, ‘flower that blooms’, and she really comes to bring light and illuminate our lives more and more. Come bloom our home my love, we’ve long dreamt of your arrival.

“Happy to be able to live the grace of God’s promises. Thank God for my family, which I will honour and love forever.

“You are an answer to our prayers, daughter, you came to make our lives even more beautiful. You are our blessing. Welcome my princess, I will love you and protect you forever,” he finished, signing off with “Hulk, your father”.

Baby Zaya is Camila’s first child. Hulk is also dad to sons Ian, 13, and Tiago, 11, as well as 8-year-old daughter Alice, who are Camila’s cousins as their mother is her aunt Iran.

The couple shocked the world by going public with their relationship following Hulk’s split from Iran in July 2019.

Iran has previously spoken of the pain the pair’s relationship caused her.

According to reports, she claimed she treated Camila like a daughter and felt like her niece was “burying her alive”.

She reportedly said: “I gave everything to this girl since she came into the world. I sacrificed my dreams so many times to make her dreams come true. And here I’m not just talking about material goods, because these are easy to give when you have money, but love, affection, attention, respect… everything.

“She knew my weaknesses, insecurities, pain, fears and had my unconditional love. She managed my life, and for me everything that she said was good, it was correct, it was ethical.

“She was perfect in everything and I gave her the direction of my life. If I was wrong, my God, it was because I loved and trusted too much.”

Later in a scathing Instagram post uploaded shortly after the pair announced the pregnancy last September, Iran posted a picture of a clock beside a quote that read, ‘Only time has the skill to unmask appearances, reveal lies and show someone’s true character.’

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Iran Angelo ??❤️?? (@iran_angelo)

“Lies and disloyalties are like knives. They cut our flesh, make us bleed, dry up, die a little inside,” she captioned the post. “But for those that have God in their lives, this dying means rebirth. I am reborn with each disappointment and each lie that is unmasked because Jesus made me strong.”

Hulk defended himself and his relationship with Iran’s niece during an Instagram Live session in September 2020, reportedly claiming he “never had a relationship with Camila” whilst still married to Iran.

“I was not happy in my marriage. I had countless reasons… [Iran] lived a single life. She just wanted to have the status of wife of the Hulk… Camila came to China. I don’t think I’m an ugly person and I’m young. Camila is young and extremely beautiful,” he said, in reference to how he as a 35-year-old has more in common with Camila, 33, than he does with Iran, 53.

“We ended up getting involved. We were single. We came back from China and told the family,” he explained before accusing Camila of going to the media out of spite. “I have a clear conscience and peace. If you want to continue cursing me and treating me like a monster, the choice is yours. But criticise on top of the truth.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Iran Angelo ??❤️?? (@iran_angelo)

Camila, on the other hand, was seemingly more apologetic, with the Sun reporting that she wrote a message to her aunt in a now-deleted social media post after her relationship with Hulk was made public.

“I really want you to know things that maybe everyone will talk about differently, mere speculation, but I don’t really judge because outsiders know absolutely nothing and most of the time just want the situation to be worse,” she said at the time, according to the publication.

“It’s been very hard to face all this, but I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t true. I never imagined it could happen, but we don’t rule our heart; no one is immune or exempt from it… I’m sorry for everything. If I could choose, we wouldn’t be going through this, but life doesn’t spin the way we imagine it to.”