“We didn’t have clothes or food” – Igor Thiago’s journey to Brentford

Igor Thiago’s journey to becoming one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards is one that continues to resonate deeply — not just for his goals, but for the hardship that shaped him long before he arrived in England.

The Igor Thiago striker has emerged as a standout performer for Brentford, yet his rise contrasts sharply with the rejection and instability he faced growing up in Brazil, where he was once deemed not good enough even for a second-division side.

Born on the outskirts of Brasília, Thiago endured a childhood marked by poverty, loss and constant uncertainty. Speaking to ESPN Brazil, he described how his family environment could easily have pushed him down the wrong path.

“I had friends involved in crime, but my mother, my brother and my childhood coach didn’t let me get lost,” he said. “They helped me not to take the wrong path and gave me support to chase my dreams.”

The striker spoke candidly about the realities of daily life at home.

“It was a very difficult environment. Where I came from was extremely hard. I lost my father very early. My mother worked alone. There were times when we didn’t have clothes or food at home. Often the electricity was cut. It was a very tough period.”

Football did not provide an immediate escape. Before landing a breakthrough opportunity, Thiago worked multiple jobs — as a bricklayer’s assistant, at street markets and delivering supermarket leaflets — while rejection followed rejection on the pitch.

“There was a time when I thought about quitting football,” he admitted.
“My mother was the one who gave me strength and didn’t let me give up on my dreams.”

He recalled the moment that changed everything.

“I was lying on the sofa at home and she asked why I was there. I said I didn’t want to train anymore. She told me: ‘Get up and go train. You can’t give up on your dreams. A footballer needs to have a story.’”

That conversation became the foundation of Thiago’s rise. From that point on, discipline replaced doubt.

“I was 15 or 16. I started training alone. I trained at home and ran 10 kilometres every day. I prepared myself for the opportunity,” he explained. “When it came, I was able to take it. It’s a beautiful journey.”

The work eventually paid off. After impressing in Europe, Thiago earned his move to Brentford — and has since rewritten perceptions of his ceiling as a striker.

Now firmly established in the Premier League, Thiago sits as the division’s second-highest scorer, a remarkable achievement for a player once rejected in his homeland.

With success has come a new ambition. According to ESPN Brazil, Thiago now dreams of pulling on the shirt of the Brazilian national team — a goal that once felt unthinkable.

Given his trajectory, few would argue he hasn’t earned the right to dream.

With the season progressing and his goal tally continuing to rise, Thiago’s performances will remain under close watch — not just from Brentford supporters, but from Brazil selectors ahead of the summer international window.

Is Igor Thiago’s story one of the Premier League’s most inspiring — and should Brazil already be paying closer attention?