Born in São Gonçalo do Sapucaí, Minas Gerais, Hernani graduated from Atlético Paranaense's youth setup.

[1] He made his professional debut on 3 September, coming on as a second half substitute in a 1–1 home draw against Ceará.

[2] Hernani returned to Furacão in January 2014 and made his Série A debut on 10 September, replacing Marcos Guilherme in a 0–1 away loss against Grêmio.

[3] Four days later he was handed his first start, and scored the last goal of a 2–0 home win against Vitória.

[4] On 16 December 2016, Hernani signed a five-year contract with Russian Premier League side Zenit St.