Igor Thiago: The only thing I know how to do in my life is score goals'

"His impoverished childhood and the early death of his father forced him to grow up fast while still a teenager. To eat, he had to start working as a child. He was a bricklayer's assistant, a fruit carrier at the market and a car washer so many jobs that could have prevented him from becoming the Brazilian to make Premier League history with the most goals in a single season."

"I was really 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: Am I going to come back?' I felt it a lot. My body had never been through that before. But in the end, it was a good thing for me."

"As has been the case at many points throughout his life, the beginning of his time at Brentford was marked by difficulties and challenges. Two knee injuries kept him out for much of last season, to the point that he only played eight games in his first campaign. I was really upset because I didn't understand why this was happening to me."

Igor Thiago grew up impoverished after his father's early death and worked multiple jobs as a child, including bricklayer's assistant, fruit carrier and car washer. He has scored 16 goals in 21 Premier League games for Brentford this season with 17 matches remaining. He has already exceeded the single-season league tallies of Roberto Firmino, Matheus Cunha and Gabriel Martinelli. He attributes the turnaround to hard work and to what he describes as God's plans giving him this year at Brentford. Two knee injuries limited him to eight appearances in his first campaign, but time away allowed targeted work on weaknesses and physical recovery.

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