Viktor Gyökeres ’ journey through European football has been one of resilience and rising success. After joining Brighton in 2017, his chances were limited, restricted mostly to cup games. Loan stints at 2. Bundesliga side St. Pauli and Swansea City followed, where Gyökeres showed flashes of potential but struggled to solidify his place. However, it was his move to Coventry City that truly allowed the Swedish forward to come into his own.
In his debut season for Coventry, Gyökeres netted 17 goals in the Championship, and he followed that up with an impressive 21-goal haul in his second season. His contributions nearly saw Coventry promoted to the Premier League, only for the team to narrowly miss out after losing to Luton Town in the play-off final. Since his time in England, Gyökeres’ profile has soared.
This season, Gyökeres has emerged as Europe’s most in-form striker. His hat-trick againbast Manchester City on Tuesday took his season tally to 23 goals in all competitions for Sporting Lisbon. Notably, this incredible performance came after scoring seven goals in just five days, including a four-goal game against Estrela Amadora.
Since his arrival in Portugal 18 months ago, Gyökeres has been instrumental in Sporting’s success, leading them to the Primeira Liga title last season and aiming to replicate that success this year, with Sporting winning all of their first 11 league games. Across 67 appearances for Sporting, he has tallied an astounding 66 goals, drawing attention from Europe’s top clubs amid a modern shortage of traditional No. 9s.
To understand his appeal, let’s delve into his playing style, which Brommapojkarna academy director Peter Kisfaludy praised for its versatility: “The good thing with Viktor is he can score in so many ways. He’s a box player but can also drive forward with the ball because he’s fast and strong. Have you seen his goal against Belgium? It’s world-class.” Kisfaludy referred to Gyökeres’ memorable solo goal against Belgium in a Euro 2024 qualifier, where he picked up the ball in his own half, surged forward, and outmaneuvered the Belgian defense before calmly finishing past Matz Sels.
While comparisons to Erling Haaland may seem ambitious, there are parallels in their physicality and play style. Gyökeres is lethal in open space, as Manchester City experienced firsthand. Breaking through City’s high defensive line, he raced past teenage defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and finished expertly over Ederson to secure a goal, demonstrating his knack for exploiting defensive gaps with punishing precision.
Just days earlier, he scored another similar goal, receiving a pass from Trincão, driving towards the goal, outfoxing the opposing defender, and powering a clinical finish into the far corner. When given room to operate, he stretches defenses with ease, making him a nightmare for any backline.
In terms of goal contributions, only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (36 goals and eight assists) and PSV Eindhoven’s Luuk de Jong (29 goals and 15 assists) outpaced Gyökeres’ 2023–2024 numbers (29 goals and 10 assists) across Europe’s top seven leagues. This season, only Kane is keeping pace with him, as both players currently lead with 17 goal involvements.
The question remains whether Gyökeres could replicate his success in the Premier League. The Primeira Liga’s competitiveness is largely split among Sporting, Benfica, and Porto, and a move to a more challenging league with tougher defenses might require adaptation. However, his impressive performances in the Champions League suggest that Gyökeres has the skills and composure to succeed at the highest level of European football.
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