Igor Thiago had a point to prove against Chelsea, and according to Brentford head coach Keith Andrews, the striker made that clear before the match even started.
Thiago has faced criticism in recent weeks, particularly following his omission from the Brazil squad, and Andrews revealed that the situation had clearly been on the striker’s mind.
Speaking about Thiago’s mindset before the game, Andrews explained that the forward approached him before kick-off after seeing some of the criticism surrounding his Brazil call-up.
Andrews could tell that it was bothering him, but instead of looking for sympathy, Thiago wanted something completely different.
He wanted responsibility.
“I told him, ‘You know I trust you, right?’” Andrews explained.
Thiago’s response was just as confident.
“Keep trusting me. I’ll win the game for you.”
Andrews admitted that he laughed at the response because it perfectly summed up the personality of the Brentford striker.
Rather than allowing the criticism to get the better of him, Thiago wanted to answer it on the pitch.
And that is exactly what he did.
Thiago found the back of the net against Chelsea, helping Brentford establish a 2-0 lead. His celebration, however, immediately caught Andrews’ attention.
The Brazilian took off his shirt after scoring, leaving his manager expecting the inevitable yellow card.
Andrews joked that his first thought was simply: “There goes your yellow card.”
But once the initial reaction passed, Andrews understood why Thiago had celebrated that way.
For the striker, the goal was about much more than simply putting Brentford further ahead.
It was a response to the criticism he had been receiving.
Andrews explained that footballers, particularly strikers, hear plenty of things said about them when things are not going their way. But sometimes, the best response is not an interview or a social media post.
It is scoring a goal.
Thiago had told Andrews before the match that he would win the game for him.
Then he went out and backed up his words.
“He made me a promise before the game. I trusted him,” Andrews said.
“He kept his word.”
That moment also showed why Andrews has continued to put his faith in Thiago. The striker clearly wanted the responsibility placed on his shoulders, and when the opportunity arrived, he delivered.
Whatever people had been saying about him before the game, Thiago had his own answer.
He let his football do the talking. ⚽🔥
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