Igor Julio dos Santos de Paulo was born on 7 February 1998 in Bom Sucesso, Brazil. He came through Brazilian youth football before moving to Austria with Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg, a pathway that exposed him early to European pressing structures, high defensive lines and a more tactical development environment than many young Brazilian centre-backs receive.
His middle career took him to Wolfsberger, Austria Wien and then SPAL, before Fiorentina made him a more visible Serie A defender. In Florence he developed into a left-footed centre-back comfortable defending space and passing into midfield, and he played an important role in Fiorentina teams that reached European and domestic cup finals.
After a spell in England with Brighton, West Ham United became his Premier League club, using him as a left-sided centre-back option with top-flight and European experience. His value in east London comes from balance: he can defend wide zones, offer a natural left-footed passing angle, and cover in a back four or back three depending on the manager's structure.
For Brazil he has been around the level of a player monitored by selectors rather than a firmly established senior international. Competition at centre-back has been intense, so his international profile remains limited, but regular Premier League minutes would keep him in the conversation.
Standing about 1.85 m, Igor is a left-footed defender with good recovery speed, a composed first pass and the mobility to defend away from his own box. His profile is comparable to a less aggressive Gabriel Magalhães: strong enough for duels, but most valuable when his left foot helps the team build cleanly.