Brazilian has earned his first national team call up after impressive individual season
With 19 goals to his name, Brentford’s Thiago is closing in on Erling Haaland in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot. More importantly for his club, his goals have helped them rack up the points to rise to seventh and eye European football next season.
But that’s not all Thiago is aiming for. At 24 he could yet represent his country Brazil at the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico this summer. The Brazilian’s efforts have already been rewarded after he earned his first call up this month ahead of friendlies against France and Croatia.
“Our national team squad is massive, so I think that to make it this far, you need to put in performances like these,” Thiago said. “To be up there with Haaland, competing for the top scorer spot alongside him, a player of his calibre, a goal-scoring machine, I think that gives me even more motivation to represent my country.
“[It gives me more motivation] to show that I’m ready for this opportunity that has come my way. With such a huge squad, I think you have to have these numbers to be able to represent our country.”
He added: “The work I’m putting in is being noticed by people. To be able to represent our country by playing in one of the toughest competitions in the world, and to be putting in the performances and achieving the results is something that fills me with pride.
“And to be here today is, for me, the greatest dream of my life, the greatest achievement of my life.”
