Igor Jesus Maciel da Cruz has followed an unusual route to the Premier League and the Brazil national team. Born in Cuiabá, he developed at Coritiba, spent four seasons with Shabab Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, returned to Brazil with Botafogo in 2024, and then joined Nottingham Forest in July 2025.
His return to Brazilian football proved especially significant. He won major domestic and continental honors with Botafogo, scored on his senior Brazil debut, and later attracted further attention by scoring against Paris Saint-Germain at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. His first season in England then brought another notable result: seven Europa League goals and a share of the competition’s top-scorer honor.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Igor Jesus Maciel da Cruz |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Birthplace | Cuiabá, Mato Grosso |
| Position | Forward |
| Height | Approximately 1.80 m |
| Current club | Nottingham Forest |
| Squad number | 19 |
His Football Path Began in Cuiabá and Coritiba
Igor Jesus was born in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, on February 25, 2001. Reporting by GE traced part of his childhood to a family connected with fishing near the Cuiabá River. As a boy, he reportedly helped his grandfather clean fish at a market stall.
Football eventually took him far from home. Coritiba assessed him as a teenager, with the most detailed available chronology placing his trial and approval in late 2014 and his established involvement in the club’s youth system from 2015.
His mother, Dianna, later described the adjustment as difficult. She recalled that he missed home after moving to Curitiba but wanted to remain because professional football was already his goal. She also said that continuing his education was a condition of being allowed to pursue training.
The precise age attached to that move varies slightly in the available accounts. His mother’s recollection places it at 12, while the documented Coritiba trial occurred when he was 13. The most accurate description is that he left home at around 12 or 13.
Coritiba became the club where he progressed from youth football into the professional game.
Four Seasons in the UAE Expanded His Professional Experience
In 2020, Jesus moved from Brazil to Shabab Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates. Nottingham Forest’s later career summary states that he spent four seasons there, giving him an extended period of first-team football outside Brazil before his better-known rise with Botafogo.
Forest’s official signing material lists 43 goals and 20 assists in 88 appearances during that spell. Nottingham Forest also notes that he earned five winners’ medals in domestic competitions, including league, President’s Cup and Super Cup titles.
The UAE period made up a substantial part of his early professional career. Rather than moving directly from a Brazilian academy into a major European league, he spent several years developing abroad before returning to his home country in 2024.
Botafogo Turned His Return to Brazil Into a Major Breakthrough
Botafogo officially announced Igor Jesus on July 1, 2024. His return to Brazil quickly led to some of the most important results of his career.
He became part of the Botafogo squad that won both the 2024 Brasileirão and Copa Libertadores. During the same period, his club form brought him into the senior Brazil setup.
The Brazilian Football Confederation recorded his senior debut against Chile on October 10, 2024, in World Cup qualifying. He marked the occasion by scoring Brazil’s equalizer with a header in a 2–1 victory.
That sequence meant that within months of returning from the UAE, Jesus had gone from a new Botafogo signing to a domestic and continental champion and a goalscorer for Brazil.
A Club World Cup Goal Preceded His Nottingham Forest Move
His Botafogo spell remained important into 2025. During the FIFA Club World Cup, Jesus scored twice and delivered the winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain.
Nottingham Forest’s signing statement noted that he was named Player of the Match in Botafogo’s opening two tournament fixtures. The PSG goal in particular gave him a high-profile moment shortly before his move to English football.
Forest completed his signing on July 5, 2025, announcing a four-year contract. He subsequently became part of the Premier League club’s first-team squad and was listed with the No. 19 shirt.
The transfer marked another major change in his career: less than a year after joining Botafogo, he had moved from Brazilian football into the Premier League.
Adapting to English Football Changed His Professional Routine
Jesus has spoken directly about the adjustment required after moving to England. In an October 2025 interview with the Brazilian Football Confederation, he said learning English quickly had become one of his priorities because communication would help him settle into his new environment.
The football itself also required changes. He said English football moves at a quicker pace and involves greater physicality, especially during aerial battles with taller center-backs.
His own description of his role is broader than that of a striker who waits only inside the penalty area. In an April 2026 UEFA interview, he explained that he likes to move toward the ball, become involved in buildup play and provide passing options for teammates.
He also discussed the patience required by the position. A striker may spend long periods without receiving a clear opportunity, making concentration important when a chance finally arrives.
Jesus credited his Nottingham Forest teammates with helping him become comfortable after the move. His comments present adaptation as both a football and communication process rather than an immediate transition.
His Debut Season in England Brought Europa League Recognition
His first season with Nottingham Forest ended with 16 goals and five assists in 52 appearances across all competitions, according to ge and Coritiba’s official reporting.
His strongest scoring return came in European competition. Jesus scored seven times in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League.
On May 20, 2026, UEFA confirmed that he finished as the competition’s joint-top scorer alongside Petar Stanić, with both players ending on seven goals.
The result gave Jesus a verified individual honor in his first season in English football, alongside the team trophies he had already collected in the UAE and with Botafogo.
Fatherhood Became a Major Personal Change in 2026
Away from football, 2026 brought an important family change. Jesus has publicly referred to his wife, whom reputable Brazilian reporting identified as Angélica Richter. The couple welcomed their first son, Henri, in May 2026.
In a June 2026 interview connected with Coritiba, Jesus described becoming a father as something he had wanted personally. He also explained why the family chose Curitiba for the birth.
Angélica is from the city, and he said they wanted her to be close to her mother and wider family support during that period. The explanation came directly from Jesus rather than from speculation about their private life.
During the same break from European competition, he returned to Coritiba’s CT da Graciosa training facilities to maintain his conditioning before heading back to England.
His Brazil Status Requires an Important 2026 Clarification
Jesus remained in Brazil’s international picture after joining Nottingham Forest. In 2025, he spoke about treating each national-team opportunity as a chance to strengthen his case for the 2026 World Cup.
He eventually appeared in Brazil’s reported 55-player preliminary pool in May 2026. However, he was not selected in Carlo Ancelotti’s final 26-man squad.
That distinction is important in describing his international career accurately. He had already scored at senior level for Brazil and stayed in contention for World Cup selection, but missed the final squad.
As the 2026/27 season approached, Premier League records continued to list him as a Nottingham Forest forward wearing No. 19.
From Cuiabá to Nottingham, His Career Has Taken an Unusual Route
Igor Jesus reached English football through a career path that included several distinct stages rather than a single direct rise. Coritiba provided his early development, Shabab Al Ahli gave him four seasons abroad, and Botafogo became the setting for his rapid emergence as a Brazil international and major-title winner.
His 2025 move to Nottingham Forest added another level to that progression. During his first season in England, he adjusted to a more physical league, worked on his English, scored 16 times across all competitions and shared the Europa League top-scorer honor.
By 2026, his verified record included senior appearances and a goal for Brazil, major honors with Botafogo, a Premier League move and a significant European scoring achievement. Those milestones provide the clearest picture of how his career developed from Cuiabá to Nottingham.
Fact-checking note: This profile was prepared from the verified sources reviewed during the research process. Unsupported and unconfirmed claims were excluded.