Football writers Ben Bloom and Adrian Clarke explore Igor Thiago's emotional journey from a difficult upbringing and a tragic loss to becoming a successful Premier League striker for Brentford.
With every one of the eight Premier League goals he has already scored this season, Igor Thiago’s mind drifts back to the hardship he and his family endured during his childhood, when he lived almost 5,500 miles away in Brazil.
Via a circuitous footballing route through Bulgaria and Belgium, the 24-year-old Brentford striker is currently behind only Erling Haaland in this season’s Premier League goalscoring charts, and above every other Brazilian in Europe’s top five leagues.
It is a much-deserved reward for a lifetime spent grafting to help those he holds dearest.
'We had no money for food'
Growing up in Gama, just outside the capital city of Brasilia, Thiago was only 13 when his father sadly died.
"It made me grow up faster than expected and made me let go of some things, so I could focus on my family and on what was right for my family," Thiago told the official Brentford website.
From the age of 11, he was already regularly working, clearing weeds. He embarked on an array of jobs to help provide for his family, squeezing them in around school and football.
He handed out supermarket flyers, carried people’s groceries home, worked on a fruit stall, and helped his uncle as a bricklayer.
"Sometimes we literally had no money for food," Thiago told the Daily Mail.
"Those jobs as a kid were really important for my growth. They taught me to value things, to appreciate hard work, and they motivated me to pursue what I have today.
"With the loss of my father, I had to grow up very quickly. I had to mature very quickly, and that’s when I started, literally, to give my all for football, with my mother always supporting me."
In fact, Thiago’s love affair with football had been stoked by the Premier League.
Introduced to the sport by his older brother, he became inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo’s exploits at Manchester United and aspired to "be like him".
Brazil to Bulgaria
Having followed his brother to their local Gremio Ocidental team, Thiago then joined regional club Vere’s Under-17s and quickly caught the eye of four-time Brazilian champions Cruzeiro.
A professional debut arrived in early 2020, when he was 18, and he would go on to score 10 times in 64 appearances for Cruzeiro before moving to Europe to join Bulgarian side Ludogorets.
"It was a big change," he said. "When I moved to Bulgaria, the people were not as warm as we are in Brazil so that was a big cultural difference. And also, the weather, because it’s very cold there.
"In Bulgaria, the football was more technical and faster than it was in Brazil. It was a learning opportunity for me; the chance to learn a different culture, a different language.
"It was hard but it was also very important for me."
The culture shock did not prevent Thiago's swift success with Ludogorets, as he helped them retain their Bulgarian First League title and lift the Bulgarian Cup to complete a domestic double.
In his one full season in Eastern Europe, he scored 15 league goals and sampled life in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League.
After just over a year with Ludogorets, Thiago was on the move again, joining Belgian side Club Brugge (below) for a reported fee of somewhere between £7million and £10million, a record transfer involving a Bulgarian club.
With Brugge, he was even more prolific, scoring 29 times in 55 appearances across all competitions, helping his side win the Belgian Pro League and reach the semi-finals of the Conference League – a competition in which he was named Young Player of the Season.
It was impressive enough to convince Brentford to shell out a club-record fee of somewhere in the region of £30m.
"I had a short period of time at the other clubs because I always had other goals that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve at those clubs," he said.
"Now, I feel like my goals and the goals of Brentford are very aligned. I know I played for two other teams and won trophies, but this was the biggest one."
Watch all of Thiago's goals for Brentford
Only Erling Haaland has scored more goals this season than @BrentfordFC's Igor Thiago! ✨ pic.twitter.com/FeVN9epcRv
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 10, 2025
Brentford rollercoaster
Life in west London has not always been easy for Thiago, who moved to England with his wife and two young children.
A meniscus injury sustained in pre-season ruled him out of action in 2024/25 until late November, and he was limited to just four appearances before a knee infection again sidelined him until May.
From not scoring at all in that stop-start first season at the club, he has now proven himself to be one of the Premier League’s most lethal strikers. As has always been the case, family remains at his core.
"I got stronger because I have two kids and they see me as an inspiration and an example, and that makes me want to be even better," he said.
"My children are two and four, and I can already see their passion to watch me as their father play, and also to want to play with me.
"It’s another motivation to keep playing. It’s made me want to be a better son, a better father and a better husband."
Watch: The first of Thiago's two goals v Man Utd
A clinical forward
Scoring once every 115.5 minutes this season, Thiago has been the surprise package at the top end of the goal charts.
When chances fall his way, he is very cool-headed and composed.
An impressive 15 of 20 unblocked shots have found the target, with eight of those efforts ending up in the back of the net.
Converting 61.54 per cent of big chances into goals, Thiago has to be considered one of the most clinical forwards in the entire division.
How Thiago ranks in Premier League 25/26
| Statistic | Total | PL rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 8 | 2nd |
| Expected Goals | 5.66 | 3rd |
| Big chances | 13 | 3rd |
| Conversion rate* | 32% | 4th |
| Big chance conversion rate** | 61.54% | 3rd |
*Minimum four goals ** Minimum four big chances
While three goals have come from right-footed penalty kicks, Thiago’s range of finishing should also be admired.
In open play, he has netted twice with both feet and scored with an outstanding header against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The robust and powerful Thiago fits Brentford’s style perfectly.
He presses with enthusiasm out of possession, holds the ball up well for team-mates, and is quick enough to make penetrative runs in beyond the last defender from long balls.
The way he ran on to Jordan Henderson’s pass to score his first goal against Man Utd was fantastic play for example.
Thiago’s awareness of space is another tremendous asset that sets him apart from others.
He is intuitive when it comes to knowing where he should make runs to get on the end of chances, and there is a natural intelligence about his game inside the final third.
Last time out against Newcastle United, Thiago refused to get drawn towards the ball, staying in space before latching onto a poor back pass.
Thiago was exceptionally sharp against Man Utd in the way he looped around his markers to get inside the centre of the box, before Kevin Schade had a shot on goal.
That alertness was rewarded when the ball was spilled straight into his path for a tap-in.
Keith Andrews may not have signed Thiago, who was injured for much of the 2024/25 campaign, but Thomas Frank's successor as Brentford head coach is benefitting from the Brazilian's talent now.
The Bees' top scorer has shown he is a quality all-round centre forward.