Record-holder Igor Thiago: tough childhood, dreams of Seleção | OneFootball

Igor Thiago reached the milestone of 16 goals in a single edition of the English Championship, an unprecedented achievement for a Brazilian in the competition. The previous record was held by Gabriel Martinelli, Roberto Firmino, and Matheus Cunha, with 15 goals. The Brentford striker reached this number in 21 games. In other words, there are still 17 games left until the end of the season.

“I would describe it as a lot of hard work. I think everything God planned for my life, everything He gave me this year at Brentford, is something I hadn't experienced in my career yet,” the athlete told the British newspaper The Guardian.

See also: All news from Gazeta Esportiva Gazeta Esportiva's YouTube Channel Follow Gazeta Esportiva on Instagram

Arrival at the English team

In his first season at Brentford, Igor missed most of the games due to knee injuries.

“I was very upset because I didn't understand why this was happening to me. I even thought: ‘My God, will I ever be myself again?’ Until this year's pre-season, I kept thinking: ‘Will I be able to come back?’ I felt this very often. My body had never gone through this before,” he recalled.

“But, in the end, it was a good thing for me. I also worked on other things. On other weaknesses too. I had something that was missing a bit, something I might not have had time to work on if I hadn't suffered that injury. So, I pushed myself harder. That injury taught me a lot,” he added.

The time away from the field brought him even closer to his family. “I learned to value my family a lot. To face life differently, to enjoy football, to enjoy being on the field. To play with more love, not to think so much about mistakes. I realized I needed to enjoy my life as a football player more, enjoy every minute on the field, not let small things frustrate me or take me out of the game mentally. I needed to enjoy every moment, both the good and the bad, because they are what make us grow.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Igor Thiago Nascimento (@thiago01)

Growth

Igor comes from a poor childhood, and the early death of his father when he was just 13 years old made him work from a very young age to help his family. Before becoming a professional athlete, he worked as a construction helper, fruit carrier at the market, and car washer.

“I also became a father very young. I had to mature early. So, with the whole period of losing my father, life made me understand that I needed to be a man. Being a father is different from having a father. While my father was alive, I had many good memories with him. He was an alcoholic, but he was never an aggressive father. He was always very loving and caring. Because of my father's loss, I had to mature mentally. After his death, many things started to be missing. This motivated me even more to work,” said the Brazilian.

Brazilian national team

Igor now holds a historic record in one of the world's top leagues, and this highlight may help him achieve a childhood dream: the Brazilian National Team.

“This World Cup feeling is very exciting. I am very hopeful to be part of it, I have always dreamed of playing in a World Cup. It's something I only saw other people experiencing on television, but now I'm close to experiencing it myself,” he said.

“God has a purpose in everyone's life. If it is God's will and (Carlo) Ancelotti's will, it will be a pleasure, an honor, to represent my country. It is an indescribable feeling to represent my country, to be able to experience this moment. It will be something I can't explain. No one from the CBF has ever contacted me, but I have this expectation,” he added.

One of the open positions in the National Team is precisely the number 9 shirt.

“I believe I am ready. The only thing I know how to do in life is to score goals. God prepared me for this moment and, if He allows, we will bring the sixth World Cup title to Brazil,” he concluded.

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