Igor Jesus (footballer, born 2001)

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Igor Jesus
Igor Jesus Shabab Al Ahli.png
Igor Jesus with Shabab Al Ahli in 2022
Personal information
Full name Igor Jesus Maciel da Cruz [1]
Date of birth (2001-02-25) 25 February 2001 (age 24) [1]
Place of birth Cuiabá, Brazil
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) [1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Nottingham Forest
Number 19
Youth career
2015–2019 Coritiba
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2020 Coritiba 56 (7)
2020–2024 Shabab Al Ahli 66 (34)
2024–2025 Botafogo 37 (9)
2025– Nottingham Forest 3 (0)
International career
2024– Brazil 4 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 19 November 2024

Igor Jesus Maciel da Cruz (born 25 February 2001), commonly known as Igor Jesus, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Nottingham Forest and the Brazil national team.

Contents

Club career

Igor Jesus came through the youth ranks at Coritiba, having been at the clubs since he was 13 years old. [2] He was given a place in the senior side in 2019, and made his debut as a substitute on 23 January 2019, in the Campeonato Paranaense game against Maringá. [3] He scored his first senior goal on his first start for the team, in the same competition on 30 January 2019 against Athletico Paranaense. [4] On 18 March 2019 he signed a new contract, keeping his rights with Coritiba until the end of 2022. [2] He made his national league debut in the 2019 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B match against CRB on 20 May 2019. [5]

On 7 July 2024, following a spell abroad with Shabab Al Ahli, Igor Jesus returned home and signed a permanent deal with Botafogo. [6] He scored two goals for Botafogo during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, one against Seattle Sounders and the decisive winner against Paris Saint-Germain, helping his team advance to the knockout stage. [7]

On 5 July 2025, it was announced that Igor Jesus had signed with Premier League side Nottingham Forest on a four-year deal. [8] The transfer fee was a reported £10,000,000. [9]

Before officially leaving Glorioso, Igor Jesus lamented his departure from the club with which he won the Libertadores and the 2024 Brazilian Championship.

"I'm happy to be starting this great championship on the right foot, starting with a victory. I'm really happy with the result. Thank God we got three good points, and it was very important. Now it's time to keep going; we have a very difficult game against PSG. We'll keep working hard this week so we can put in a great performance too," he told SporTV. [10]

On July 16, 2025, the day that Botafogo drew 1-1 with Vitória at Estádio Nilton Santos, in the Brasileiro, Igor Jesus was honored by the club at half-time with a plaque. [11]

International career

In October 2024, Igor Jesus received his first call up to the Brazil national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification games against Chile and Peru. [12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 31 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueState league [a] National cup [b] League cup [c] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Coritiba 2019 Série B 2438200325
2020 Série A 10014210252
Total34322410577
Shabab Al Ahli 2020–21 UAE Pro League 241243645 [d] 21 [e] 04021
2021–22 UAE Pro League62000062
2022–23 UAE Pro League1761020206
2023–24 UAE Pro League191433002 [d] 02 [f] 02617
Total6634868472309246
Botafogo 2024 Série A225206 [g] 31 [h] 0318
2025 Série A10351115 [g] 27 [i] 2289
Total3285131115825917
Nottingham Forest 2025–26 Premier League 3000000030
Career total135452751278418711221170
  1. Includes Campeonato Paranaense, Campeonato Carioca
  2. Includes Copa do Brasil, UAE President's Cup
  3. Includes UAE League Cup
  4. 1 2 Appearances in AFC Champions League
  5. Appearance in UAE Super Cup
  6. One appearance in UAE Super Cup, one appearance in Qatar-UAE Super Shield
  7. 1 2 Appearances in Copa Libertadores
  8. Appearance in FIFA Intercontinental Cup
  9. One appearance in Supercopa do Brasil, two appearances in Recopa Sudamericana, four appearances and two goals in FIFA Club World Cup

International

As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Brazil 202441
Total41

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Igor Jesus
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
110 October 2024 Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile1Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 1–12–1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Shabab Al-Ahl

Botafogo

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Squad List: FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Botafogo (BRA)" (PDF). FIFA. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Em alta, atacante Igor Jesus renova contrato com o Coritiba até o final de 2022" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 18 March 2019.
  3. "Igor Jesus e Luiz Henrique estreiam no Coritiba e passam a ser alternativas para Argel" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 24 January 2019.
  4. "Primeiro Atletiba, primeiro gol: atacante Igor Jesus vive noite especial pelo Coritiba" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 30 January 2019.
  5. "Louzer lamenta chances perdidas pelo Coritiba contra o CRB: "Pagamos um preço caro"" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 20 May 2019.
  6. Oliveira, Ricardo (7 July 2024). "Botafogo apresenta reforços à torcida; saiba quando poderão estrear". RTI Esporte.
  7. "Igor Jesus sends Botafogo California dreaming". FIFA. 20 June 2025.
  8. Club, Nottingham Forest Football (5 July 2025). "Forest sign Igor Jesus". Nottingham Forest Football Club.
  9. "Nottingham Forest: Igor Jesus signs from Botafogo". BBC Sport. 5 July 2025.
  10. FNR, Redação (16 June 2025). "Igor Jesus lamenta saída do Botafogo: "Não é fácil deixar um lugar que você gosta"". Fogo na Rede (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  11. FNR, Redação (17 July 2025). "Ídolo, Igor Jesus recebe homenagem do Botafogo no intervalo do jogo contra o Vitória". Fogo na Rede (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  12. "Seleção Brasileira é convocada para jogos contra Chile e Peru pelas Eliminatórias" [Brazilian national team called up for games against Chile and Peru in the Qualifiers]. cbf.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Brazilian Football Confederation. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  13. "SHABAB AL AHLI VS. SHARJAH 6 – 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 November 2024.