Brentford striker Igor Thiago has written his name into the Premier League history books after scoring his 16th goal of the season, the most ever by a Brazilian player in a single campaign.
The 24-year-old forward netted twice during Brentford’s 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Gtech Community Stadium on Wednesday night, continuing his sensational run of form in English football.
Thiago opened the scoring on the half-hour mark after being released by Vitaly Janelt, showing remarkable composure to round goalkeeper Robin Roefs before calmly finishing into an empty net. He doubled his tally just after the hour, nodding home from close range after Kevin Schade’s effort struck the crossbar, sealing both the win and a new Premier League record.
The brace comes just days after Thiago scored a hat-trick in Brentford’s emphatic 4-1 away win at Everton, underlining his red-hot form.
Premier League Record for Brazilian Goalscorers
Thiago’s goals have seen him become only the fourth Brazilian to score 15 Premier League goals in a single season, achieving the milestone in record time with just 21 appearances.
Previously, the highest tallies by Brazilian players stood at 15 goals, achieved by:
- Roberto Firmino (Liverpool, 2017/18)
- Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, 2022/23)
- Matheus Cunha (Wolves, 2023/24)
One more goal would see Thiago become the highest-scoring Brazilian in Premier League history for a single season.
Brentford Star Thriving After Injury Setbacks
Only Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Thiago this season. The former Club Brugge striker was signed by Brentford for a club-record £30 million following a prolific 2023/24 campaign in Belgium, where he scored 29 goals.
However, his first year in west London was disrupted by injury. A meniscus issue on his pre-season debut delayed his competitive bow until November, and further knee problems restricted him to just eight league appearances without a goal.
This season has marked a dramatic turnaround. Fully fit and firing, Thiago has emerged as one of the league’s most lethal forwards, with his performances reportedly putting him in contention for Brazil World Cup selection under Carlo Ancelotti.
With momentum firmly on his side, Igor Thiago’s remarkable Premier League rise shows no signs of slowing down.
What a player.