Igor Thiago: From Bricklaying To Brugge, Brentford … And Maybe Brazil

On a crisp November day successful Brentford, Igor Thiago did what grounds signings are expected to do: people twice. The Brazilian’s double against Newcastle took his extremity tally this play to 8 successful 11 Premier League games, second only to Erling Haaland, and offered further impervious that Brentford’s £30m bet successful nan summertime of 2024 was a wise one.

Brentford fans must person had their doubts past season. After arriving from Club Brugge to switch Ivan Toney, Thiago’s first play was quiet, disjointed and frustrating. Two knee injuries restricted him to conscionable 8 appearances, 168 minutes and nary goals.

There were plentifulness of gloomy pre-season predictions for Brentford this summer. After losing Thomas Frank, their captain, Christian Nørgaard, and nan forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa – who were responsible for 60% of their goals and a 4th of their assists past play – Brentford were not expected to thrive. Few thought they would beryllium dishing retired defeats to Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United and Aston Villa, pinch Thiago arsenic nan main man.

Thiago’s communicative originates acold from nan manicured pitches of nan Premier League. He grew up successful Gama, adjacent Brasília. At nan property erstwhile astir academy prospects are worrying astir which boots to wear, he was already shouldering work acold beyond his years. Thiago’s begetter died erstwhile he was 13, leaving him to support his mother, Maria, who worked arsenic a rubbish collector.

Thiago took connected various jobs to thief his family, specified arsenic carrying groceries successful a section supermarket and moving arsenic a bricklayer, each while holding connected to a dream of master football. “It helped maine arsenic a man and it helped maine arsenic a person,” he says of those early struggles. “It helped maine to admit nan small and large things successful life.”

He played for a section club, Verê FC, earlier signing for Cruzeiro, wherever he made his elder debut astatine 18. Four goals successful 43 Série B appearances hardly sent shockwaves done Brazil but his imaginable was clear. In 2022 he made nan leap to Europe, signing for Ludogorets. His early committedness blossomed successful Bulgaria, wherever his 21 goals and 11 assists helped nan nine triumph back-to-back convention titles.

His performances impressed Club Brugge, who signed him successful nan summertime of 2023 for £7m. It quickly proved a bargain for nan Belgian side. Thiago scored 18 convention goals successful his only play pinch nan club, capable to pull nan attraction of nan astute analytics-driven recruitment squad astatine Brentford. They made him nan club’s grounds signing successful July 2024.

His task was simple: win Ivan Toney, who had scored 36 goals successful 83 Premier League appearances for Brentford. Instead, injuries held him backmost and his occupation became to switch Mbeumo and Wissa. Brentford person an outstanding way grounds of replacing players. Ollie Watkins, Saïd Benrahma, Neal Maupay, David Raya, Toney and Ezri Konsa person each travel and gone complete nan past fewer years. Each departure led to questions astir really they would header but nan squad has hardly missed a beat. If anything, they often improve.

Igor Thiago and Rico Henry observe aft Brentford’s triumph against Liverpool. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

But this summertime felt different. Brentford had mislaid 3 prolific goalscorers successful nan abstraction of 2 seasons and were relying connected Thiago, who had very small Premier League shot nether his belt, to transportation overmuch of this burden. They were considered among nan favourites for relegation, particularly erstwhile they replaced Frank pinch Keith Andrews, their young set-pieces coach, who made nan measurement up to caput coach for nan first time.

Andrews himself acknowledged nan scepticism. “I understand nan narrative,” he said. “If I were personification externally not knowing what goes connected successful nan building, I mightiness beryllium of nan aforesaid opinion.” And yet he showed unwavering confidence: “We’re successful a really bully position and I conscionable consciousness for illustration astir group don’t cognize that.” He said this successful mid-September aft his squad had started nan play pinch 1 triumph successful their first 4 games. Seven games and 4 wins later, it’s safe to opportunity Andrews was connected to something.

Brentford person climbed up nan league, mostly driven by Thiago’s 8 goals. The 24-year-old thrives connected agelong balls, timing his runs down defences to perfection overmuch for illustration Mbeumo and Wissa did nether Frank. He finishes pinch condemnation – his changeable conversion complaint of 32% is 1 of nan champion successful nan convention – and he drops heavy to nexus up play, clasp up nan shot and create chances. He besides uses his spot and 6ft 3in framework to his advantage; a important domiciled successful a Brentford broadside built connected accelerated transitions.

His expertise successful nan aerial (he is 2nd for aerial duels won among strikers this season) and relentless activity complaint make him a nightmare for opponents. Ronny Deila, his erstwhile Club Brugge coach, summed him up perfectly, saying: “Defenders dislike playing against him. He presses non-stop, runs each nan clip and kicks them.” It’s still early days, but nan signs propose Brentford’s recruitment squad person done it again.

Thiago’s shape has peaked astatine conscionable nan correct time. With 7 months to spell earlier nan World Cup, he has put himself connected Carlo Ancelotti’s radar. The conflict for places successful nan Brazil onslaught is fierce, pinch 8 forwards successful nan Premier League unsocial competing for a spot alongside Vinicius Junior, Endrick, Rodrygo, Raphinha and others. The bully news for Thiago is that he boasts nan astir awesome record: he is nan apical scoring Brazilian successful Europe’s apical 5 leagues this season.

“I’ve ever dreamed of being capable to play for Brazil,” he told nan football journalist Josué Seixas. “I inquire God that, erstwhile he takes maine to nan nationalist team, I don’t want to spell conscionable for nan liking of it. When I get there, I want to stay.” Thiago has already gone from laying bricks to starring nan statement for Brentford successful nan Premier League. Now he is successful a awesome position to execute his biggest dream.

This is an article by WhoScored