Thiago's rise from bricklayer to Brentford's new goal hero

Where are Brentford's goals going to come from?

It was a question their fans have heard asked countless times over the past couple of years - a few might well have asked it themselves.

But even before it had been raised as a legitimate concern, the Bees have come up with a response.

When Ivan Toney was handed an eight-month ban in May 2023 for breaking Football Association betting rules, Bryan Mbeumo was ready to step up until he returned.

Last summer Toney departed for Al-Ahli, but again Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa not only helped fill the void, but impressively increased the west London club's goalscoring threat.

That duo, though, left this summer and the familiar attacking worries returned. But, once more, Brentford look to have it covered.

Step forward Igor Thiago.

The Brazilian, 24, has started the campaign in fine form with his double against Manchester United on Saturday taking his Premier League tally to four in six games, with another coming in the Carabao Cup.

Thiago's two early goals at the Gtech also made him just the second player to score twice against United inside the first 20 minutes of a Premier League match, after Alexis Sanchez in 2015 for Arsenal.

"Igor Thiago is like a throwback centre-forward," former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole told TNT Sport.

"He attacks the space very well. Technically he is proficient. His all-round game impressed me so much."

Given how little we saw of Thiago last season, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a new signing making an immediate impact.

His arrival for a then-club-record £30m fee from Club Brugge in July 2024 was viewed as a real coup for Brentford to replace the outgoing Toney.

However, before the England striker had even departed, Thiago suffered a meniscus injury in his first pre-season game and was sidelined until November.

A knee infection led to another lengthy spell on the sidelines and he ended his first season at Brentford having not scored in eight appearances.

But Thiago, who scored 29 times in his sole season in Belgium, is making up for lost time now.

"I watched Igor [at] close quarters last year and the struggles he had," Brentford boss Keith Andrews told TNT Sports.

"It's the worst part of being a professional footballer being injured and not being able to do what you love doing. I built a good relationship with Igor behind the scenes.

"I have always been aware of his qualities as a footballer and how much he wants it. Sometimes he wants it too much too soon and he needs to be a bit patient with getting rhythm into his game, but his contribution to this team was never going to be in doubt.

"For the outside world now, they are starting to see that."

Overcoming adversity is nothing new for Thiago, though.

"When I was 13 years old, my father passed away," the frontman told Brentford's official website last summer.

"I started to work at the fair carrying fruit. I also worked as a bricklayer. I had several jobs when I was younger, before I got into professional football and got the opportunity to play abroad.

"It helped me as a man, and it helped me as a person. It helped me to appreciate the little and big things in life, because today I look at my life and see that I'm privileged with everything I have."

For a number of years, a career as a professional footballer simply was not a consideration as Thiago prioritised supporting his mother.

But after getting to play for Vere FC at a regional level in the south Brazil, he moved to professional side Cruzeiro before getting his chance in Europe with Bulgarian side Ludogorets.

"My early life definitely affected the way I play. I was also very focused on the things I wanted to do," Thiago recently told Brentford's official match programme.

His 15 goals helped Ludogorets win the Bulgarian title in 2022-23 and was also named Conference League young player of the season for scoring seven goals as Club Brugge reached the semi-finals of the European competition.

Now, after an injury-plagued first year in England, Thiago - eligible to play for either Brazil or Bulgaria at international level - is showing signs he might be getting back to his best.

Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer added: "He barely played last season because of injury but he got his two goals in that half and that's what a striker is going to get judged for.

"He looks like he can fill the void left by Mbeumo and Wissa."

Time will tell, but the early indications are Brentford have found the answer to any frontline fears.