Igor Thiago: Brentford striker is making up for lost time after scoring two against Manchester United

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.