Igor Thiago can't believe he's at the Copa: unreal | OneFootball

The call-up to the World Cup still doesn’t quite feel real to Igor Thiago. Despite his goal-scoring season with Brentford, the winning goal against Croatia, and the strike against Panama, the forward still hesitates to believe that his dream has come true. That is what he said at a press conference this Wednesday (3) at The Ridge hotel, where the Brazilian national team is staying in New Jersey

“When I arrived at Granja, it was still sinking in. It doesn’t feel real. I’m very happy to be here with the national team and to play in this World Cup. It’s something very positive. The biggest goal is to make our people proud. And to have the chance to bring that sixth title home,” he celebrated.

“Being called up for the World Cup is the greatest achievement of my life, both personally and professionally. When I was in my hometown, I dreamed of representing my country, but when you get here, the feeling goes far beyond what I imagined,” he added.

Igor Thiago during a press conference for the Brazilian national team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

The 24-year-old player is among coach Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking options and has shown himself to be a valuable alternative. In his debut against France, he was heavily involved in attacking moves and found the net against both Croatia and Panama.

“Regardless of whether I start or not, I want to be available for the national team. Just being available to represent the national team is already a great source of gratitude and joy. When you wear the national team shirt, you have to be ready for whatever comes. This mindset of always giving our best football and also encouraging our teammates to perform at their best—this competitiveness is healthy for our national team, and I hope we can do this more often,” he said.

The Brasília-born striker from Gama finished last season as the highest-scoring Brazilian in a single Premier League campaign, at 22 years old. The previous record was 15 goals, reached by Roberto Firmino for Liverpool in 2017/18, Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal in 2023/24, and Matheus Cunha for Wolverhampton in 2024/25.

Igor Thiago will play in the first World Cup of his careerCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.