Igor Thiago's journey to the top began with a humble promise made to his mother, Maria Diva. Growing up in Cidade Ocidental, Brazil, Thiago vowed that nothing would stop him from becoming a professional footballer. But it wasn't an easy road for the 24-year-old forward.
Thiago's early life was marked by hardship. His mother worked as a refuse collector on a minimum wage, raising four children alone. The family often went to meals at other people's expense, leaving Diva humiliated and in tears. It was then that Thiago made a promise to his mother: "From today on, no-one in this life is going to humiliate you any more," he said. "I'm going to become a footballer, you'll see. Everyone will know me one day."
Despite his determination, Thiago faced several rejections at trials around Brazil before finally signing with a club at the age of 17. His early years with Gremio Ocidental were marked by struggles, but he was determined to succeed. "Thiago would call me late at night in tears to say that football wasn't for him," Sergio Goncalves, his mentor from those days, recalls. But Thiago's talent and work ethic eventually paid off.
However, Thiago's path to success was not without its challenges. He had to wait until he was 17 to sign with a club, having faced several rejections at trials around Brazil. His first-team experience with Cruzeiro was tumultuous, with the team finishing in 11th and 14th place in Serie B over the next two seasons.
Thiago's struggles were also reflected in his personal life. He fell into depression and questioned whether he should continue as a professional footballer. "There are things no-one knows that I went through," Thiago said in an interview with Futebol no Mundo podcast from ESPN. "I went through a period of depression."
Despite these challenges, Thiago persevered. He found a new lease on life when he joined Club Brugge in Belgium and scored 29 goals in his first season. The forward then moved to Brentford, where he has continued to excel, scoring 16 times in the Premier League this season.
Thiago's mentality and work ethic have been key factors in his success. He is known for being a hard worker and asking questions of those around him, including his team-mates. "What I really liked about him was that when he arrived, he was always asking the older players what they thought he could improve," says Cauly, a former Ludogorets midfielder who now plays for Bahia in Brazil.
Thiago's next stop is Saturday's west London derby against Chelsea, where he will look to continue his impressive form in the Premier League. With Brazil desperately looking for a number nine before the summer's World Cup, there is growing expectation that Thiago will be included in the squad.
For Goncalves, Thiago's inclusion in the Brazilian national team would be a dream come true. "Brazil is missing a proper striker," he says. "And I believe this is his moment."
Thiago's early life was marked by hardship. His mother worked as a refuse collector on a minimum wage, raising four children alone. The family often went to meals at other people's expense, leaving Diva humiliated and in tears. It was then that Thiago made a promise to his mother: "From today on, no-one in this life is going to humiliate you any more," he said. "I'm going to become a footballer, you'll see. Everyone will know me one day."
Despite his determination, Thiago faced several rejections at trials around Brazil before finally signing with a club at the age of 17. His early years with Gremio Ocidental were marked by struggles, but he was determined to succeed. "Thiago would call me late at night in tears to say that football wasn't for him," Sergio Goncalves, his mentor from those days, recalls. But Thiago's talent and work ethic eventually paid off.
However, Thiago's path to success was not without its challenges. He had to wait until he was 17 to sign with a club, having faced several rejections at trials around Brazil. His first-team experience with Cruzeiro was tumultuous, with the team finishing in 11th and 14th place in Serie B over the next two seasons.
Thiago's struggles were also reflected in his personal life. He fell into depression and questioned whether he should continue as a professional footballer. "There are things no-one knows that I went through," Thiago said in an interview with Futebol no Mundo podcast from ESPN. "I went through a period of depression."
Despite these challenges, Thiago persevered. He found a new lease on life when he joined Club Brugge in Belgium and scored 29 goals in his first season. The forward then moved to Brentford, where he has continued to excel, scoring 16 times in the Premier League this season.
Thiago's mentality and work ethic have been key factors in his success. He is known for being a hard worker and asking questions of those around him, including his team-mates. "What I really liked about him was that when he arrived, he was always asking the older players what they thought he could improve," says Cauly, a former Ludogorets midfielder who now plays for Bahia in Brazil.
Thiago's next stop is Saturday's west London derby against Chelsea, where he will look to continue his impressive form in the Premier League. With Brazil desperately looking for a number nine before the summer's World Cup, there is growing expectation that Thiago will be included in the squad.
For Goncalves, Thiago's inclusion in the Brazilian national team would be a dream come true. "Brazil is missing a proper striker," he says. "And I believe this is his moment."
ugh i'm so done with the lack of mental health support on espn podcasts 
thiago opens up about depression but it's just a few lines out of a 10 minute interview and then they're off to talk about his football career 
and btw what's up with all these "dream come true" quotes from old teammates? 
! Growing up in poverty and facing rejection multiple times is tough, but his determination to make it as a footballer is amazing 
. He's definitely one of those underdog stories that you root for from the start 
. But what I find really interesting is how he went through depression and had to find a new lease on life when he joined Club Brugge 
. It shows that even with all the struggles, he found ways to overcome them and come out stronger 
. Can't wait to see how this plays out on Saturday! 
It would be, like, amazing for him to achieve his dream on the biggest stage. I'm sure he's going to give it his all and make everyone proud. The way he's carried himself throughout his career is just, like, so classy and humble. He's definitely one of those players who will go down in history as a legend! 
I'm loving Igor Thiago's story so far! He's like the ultimate underdog 
.
, it's been an incredible journey. He's got this hunger and drive that just draws you in... what can you expect from him next? 
& everyone's judging his mum on the streets? That's some heavy stuff for a kid to deal with at that age...and then he gets rejected at trials left and right 
before finally making it big...imagine being in his shoes or even better still, imagine having 4 kids of your own 
.
. Hope he's doing okay now.
. It just shows you that if you put in the effort and keep asking questions, you can achieve anything 
. What do you think about him getting a spot on the Brazilian national team? Should Brazil be counting on him to bring home that World Cup title 
?
... poor kid had to deal with poverty and rejection, had depression, still managed to become top dog 
