Brazil striker and England captain highlight Brentford's remarkable rise | OneFootball

In 2008 Brentford fans were rattling buckets to keep their club alive. Less than two decades on, an England captain and a Brazil striker are fronting a push for Champions League qualification.

Hounslow Herald notes that Igor Thiago's Brazil debut made him the first Bees player to represent the five-time world champions. It came in Thursday's 2-1 defeat to France, in a season where his 19 league goals have powered Brentford to seventh.

A day later, Jordan Henderson wore the armband for England against Uruguay, a fresh sign of Brentford talent operating on the game's biggest stages.

There are many measures of their rise from lower-league uncertainty to top-flight stability, from league position and transfer profits to infrastructure and recruitment.

It also underlines the scale of owner Matthew Benham's overhaul. The lifelong supporter took charge in 2012, building a data-led model to find undervalued players, develop them, sell at the right time and reinvest smartly.

International recognition now runs deep. Kevin Schade plays for Germany, Mikkel Damsgaard and Mathias Jensen for Denmark, and Kristoffer Ajer for Norway, who will represent them at the upcoming World Cup.

Source: Hounslow Herald