Brentford star Igor Thiago is a shoo-in for the World Cup with Brazil if he manages to get to 15 goals this season.
That’s according to analysts Filip Joos and Tuur Dierckx, [via Sporza](https://sporza.be/nl/2025/11/10/bij-club-haperde-het-soms-maar-nu-komt-niemand-dichter-bij-haaland-dan-igor-thiago-hij-gaat-zeker-naar-het-wk~1762797703092/). They’ve been impressed by the Brentford striker’s performances this season. Joos in particular thinks he’s a better option than the Brazilian strikers at Chelsea and Tottenham.
Thiago currently sits on eight Premier League goals this season, with another in the EFL Cup. That tally in the Premier League puts him in second place in the top scorers charts, behind Erling Haaland on 14.
It’s been an impressive start to the campaign for the Brazilian, who has quickly helped Brentford forget about their departed stars such as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. In fact, he has three more goals and the former at this point.
The striker appears to have bounced back from the serious knee injury which ruined his first season at Brentford last year. He was signed from Club Brugge in January before joining last summer.
But he suffered a serious knee injury that ruled him out for the campaign and threatened to leave him as a big-money flop. Instead, he’s shining, and the Belgian analysts think he could end up in Brazil’s World Cup squad as a result.
Better than Tottenham and Chelsea options
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That’s because, at least for Joos, he’s better than Tottenham’s Richarlison and Chelsea’s João Pedro. Richarlison has four Premier League goals for Tottenham and Pedro has the same number for Chelsea. Or, in other words, the same combined total as Thiago at Brentford.
“When I see Igor Thiago playing now… They don’t have that profile anymore at Club Brugge,” said Joos.
“He hasn’t been called up, but he will definitely be in the World Cup. 100%. I actually never expected that. But if you look at Richarlison, sorry. And Vitor Roque scores for Palmeiras, but he’s also a bit of a failure in Europe. Then you only have João Pedro from Chelsea.”
“If Thiago has 15 Premier League goals by the end of the season, he will indeed be in the World Cup. And he will, right?” added Dierckx.