Brentford striker Igor Thiago has used his first Brazil call-up to underline how far his game has travelled in West London, repeatedly pointing back to his club form when discussing this breakthrough moment.

The 24-year-old arrives on international duty after a standout Premier League campaign. His 19 league goals have pushed him into the Golden Boot conversation, only trailing Erling Haaland.

That output has been the foundation of his inclusion for the friendlies against France and Croatia. It has also caught the attention from bigger clubs like Newcastle, Aston Villa, Tottenham, and more recently Chelsea.

However, when speaking to the Brazilian FA official channels after joining up with the national team squad, Igor Thiago kept bringing the conversation back to Brentford – and what his performances there now represent.

Brentford platform at centre of his rise

He made it clear that his club form is not always fully visible to fans in Brazil. That is why he sees this call-up as a chance to bridge that gap.

“I think not everyone has the possibility to watch the Premier League or has time to watch Brentford play, but everyone will have time to watch our national team,” he explained.

“For...