Igor Thiago’s remarkable rise in English football continues to gather pace. Just a week into January, the Brentford striker has already written his name into the
Premier League record books, becoming the highest-scoring Brazilian in a single season.
Thiago took his tally to 16 goals for the 2025/26 campaign after scoring twice in Brentford’s convincing 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Gtech Community Stadium. The brace not only secured all three points for the Bees but also pushed the 23-year-old beyond a landmark previously shared by some of Brazil’s most recognisable Premier League names.
His first goal of the night drew him level with the long-standing seasonal record of 15 goals, jointly held by Matheus Cunha, Gabriel Martinelli and Roberto Firmino. The second, calmly finished later in the match, moved him clear as the outright record holder.
That Thiago has achieved this feat before the midpoint of the season underlines the scale of his impact. With 16 goals from 21 league appearances and 17 matches still to play, the striker has ample opportunity to extend his record even further.
If his current scoring rate continues, Thiago could soon begin climbing the all-time list of Brazilian goalscorers in Premier League history. At present, Chelsea’s João Pedro sits 10th on that list with 28 goals, while Roberto Firmino leads the way on 82. Several active Brazilian players remain ahead of Thiago for now, but his trajectory suggests that may not remain the case for long.
There was, however, a slight note of concern amid the celebrations. Thiago was forced off in the 82nd minute against Sunderland due to injury, casting some doubt over his immediate availability. Brentford will hope the issue proves minor, with an FA Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday coming up this weekend, followed by a league trip to Chelsea on 17 January.
Thiago’s double also tightened the race for the Premier League Golden Boot. He now sits second in the standings, four goals behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who also found the net this week. Haaland’s strike against Brighton marked his 150th goal for City in all competitions, highlighting the scale of the challenge Thiago faces at the top of the scoring charts.
For now, though, the spotlight belongs firmly to Brentford’s Brazilian forward. Records have fallen, expectations are rising, and if fitness allows, Igor Thiago looks well placed to turn an outstanding season into a truly historic one. Photo by Biser Todorov, Wikimedia commons.