IN the space of the current decade, Botafogo of Rio have gone from Brazil’s second division, to reigning national and South American champions, to unlikely conquerors of Paris Saint Germain.
The extraordinary rise has been bankrolled by US businessman John Textor, who also owns Lyon in France and is trying to sell his stake in Crystal Palace.
GettyIgor Jesus scored the only goal as Botafogo beat PSG[/caption] GettyNottingham Forest will be delighted they got him before the Club World Cup[/caption] AFPThe forward has already been playing and scoring for Brazil ahead of his move to the Premier League[/caption]But the Botafogo story is now just a tale of the chequebook.
It is also about wonderful work by the scouting department – exemplified by the case of centre forward Igor Jesus.
The Brazil international scored the only goal as Botafogo shocked PSG with a 1-0 win and joins Nottingham Forest after the Club World Cup.
The 24-year-old began his professional career with Coritiba in the south of Brazil, where he showed promise but not much more.
And then he found his way to Shabab Al Alhi in the Arab Emirates.
This took him off the radar screen of most people – but not Botafogo.
He did well in his new surroundings, and even had an offer to take on local citizenship and play for the national team.
He declined, declaring that he was prepared to wait for an opportunity to play for Brazil.
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It seemed a fanciful dream but Botafogo were watching and signed him on a free when his contract ran out.
They brought him back to Brazil where he was unknown but they unleashed him in July of last year.
And by September he was playing and scoring for Brazil in World Cup qualification.
Amid the recent turmoil of the Brazilian national team he soon lost his place.
But he will be back – especially because he gave new coach Carlo Ancelotti a powerful demonstration of his merits.
Ancelotti arrived to coach Brazil at the end of May. The next day he called up his first squad – without Igor Jesus.
AFPIgor already has two goals in the ongoing Club World Cup[/caption] GettyHe is regarded as one of the hottest strikers in South America at the moment[/caption]And the day after he was in Botafogo’s stadium for a crunch game in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League.
Botafogo had to win to stay in the competition and defend the title they won last year.
They were up against Universidad de Chile who found themselves a man up early in the match.
Nottingham Forest’s other signing, gangling centre back Jair Cunha, launched himself into a bad tackle and was sent off.
Botafogo had to win the game with ten men – and Igor Jesus ensured that they did.
Textor has described him as the perfect centre forward. He has a strong physical presence, he can hold the ball up and shrug off defenders.
GettyThe Brazilian already has a trademark celebration which Forest fans will love[/caption] ReutersHe loves to go to the fans after he scores a goal[/caption]He is quick and mobile, able to work the channels and he has an extraordinary spirit of sacrifice.
In the final of last year’s Libertadores against fellow Brazilians Atletico MIneiro, Botafogo had a man sent off in the first thirty seconds.
Igor Jesus had to dedicate himself to being the first line of defence, and carried out the task tirelessly.
In this game against Universidad de Chile he had to be the first line of defence and the cutting edge of the attack – Botafogo had to win.
Every time he got on the ball he was a nightmare for the Chilean defenders and he scored the goal that takes his side through to the knock out phase.
Against PSG he had to go through his repertoire against much better defenders.
APHe dominated the PSG backline all game[/caption] ReutersHe’s been compared to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba[/caption]And he worried Lucas Beraldo and William Pacho all through the game, giving options for the besieged Botafogo defenders to clear their lines, combining with his midfielders, and charging towards Gianluigi Donnarumma to score – with the help of a deflection – the only goal in a famous victory.
Textor appeared after the match to thank Igor Jesus by pretending to polish his boot.
Igor Jesus is looking increasingly like a modern day version of Didier Drogba – a one man forward line capable of performing every function a striker needs to do and able to take on entire defences all on his own.
His performance would not have been enough to secure victory without the splendid disciplined defending of his team-mates in which Jair Cunha played the game of his life.
The 20-year-old was signed at the start of the season after helping Santos win promotion back to the top flight last year.
APForest fans will be delighted with the signing they’ve made[/caption] GettyHe’s got the making of a modern day centre forward who can do it all[/caption]Injuries meant that he has been thrown in at the deep end and it has not always been easy.
He can struggle for balance and though he scored with a towering header in the opening game against Seattle Sounders, he had plenty of defensive problems.
But he rose to the challenge in fine style against PSG. He was well protected, and able to spend the game defending in reduced space.
But he kept his head well under pressure and made Forest fans hope that Igor Jesus will not be the only Brazilian signing making an impact next season at the City Ground.
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