Viktor Gyökeres

Viktor Einar Gyökeres (Swedish: [ˈvɪ̌kːtɔr ˈjø̂ːkɛrɛs]; born 4 June 1998) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Primeira Liga club Sporting CP and the Sweden national team.

Gyökeres made his professional debut with Swedish side Brommapojkarna in 2015, making over fifty appearances before joining Brighton & Hove Albion three years later. Gyökeres went on loan to various clubs, including St. Pauli, Swansea City and Coventry City, joining the latter permanently in 2021. Sporting CP signed him in 2023 for a club-record transfer worth €20 million. In his first season, he helped them win the league title. He also won the Bola de Prata for being the top scorer in the Primeira Liga with 29 goals in 33 games, as well as the Player of the Year award.

Gyökeres represented Sweden at various youth levels and was the joint-top scorer at the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He made his senior debut for Sweden in 2019.

Club career

IFK Aspudden-Tellus

Born and raised in Stockholm, Gyökeres started playing football at the age of five with local club IFK Aspudden-Tellus.

IF Brommapojkarna

Gyökeres signed for Brommapojkarna from IFK Aspudden-Tellus in 2013, at the age of 14. He progressed through the youth teams and made his senior debut two years later. He scored his first goals for the club on 20 August 2015, netting a brace in a 3–0 Svenska Cupen win over IF Sylvia. The following year, with the club having suffered relegation the season before, Gyökeres scored seven goals to help Brommapojkarna secure promotion back into the Superettan. He later helped Brommapojkarna into the semi-finals of the Svenska Cupen when he scored the winning goal in the quarter finals against top division side, Elfsborg. Brommapojkarna were unable to progress further, though, as they were beaten 4–0 by IFK Norrköping in the next round.

On 6 September 2017, having scored 10 league goals at the time, Gyökeres signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion with the deal to go through at the conclusion of the Superettan season. He ended the season with a return of 13 goals in 29 league appearances, including a hat-trick on the final day as Brommapojkarna secured promotion to the Allsvenskan as league champions.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Gyökeres officially joined Brighton on 1 January 2018 and began training with the club's under-23 side. He made his senior debut for the club on 28 August, starting in a 1–0 EFL Cup defeat to Southampton. On 26 January 2019, Gyökeres made his FA Cup debut coming on as a sub in a 0–0 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion.

In July 2019, he moved on loan to German second-tier side St. Pauli for the 2019–20 season. On the opening day of the season he made his debut coming on as a sub in a 1–1 away draw to Arminia. Gyökeres scored his first goal for St Pauli on 29 September scoring the second in a 2–0 home victory over SV Sandhausen.

On 17 September 2020, Gyökeres scored his first goal for Brighton in a 4–0 victory against Portsmouth in the EFL Cup. On 2 October 2020, Gyökeres joined EFL Championship side Swansea City on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season. He made his debut a day later, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 home win over Millwall. He scored his first goal for the club on 9 January 2021, scoring the second in a 2–0 away win over Stevenage sending Swansea through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. He was recalled by Brighton on 14 January 2021.

Coventry City

Gyökeres joined Coventry City on loan on 15 January 2021. He made his debut four days later starting and playing 59 minutes of the 3–0 away loss at Reading. He scored on his first appearance at St Andrew's netting the first in an eventual 2–0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on 27 January, his first league goal in English football.

He returned to Coventry City on a permanent deal on 9 July 2021, after signing a three-year contract. Gyökeres scored in Coventry's opening game of the 2021–22 Championship season on 8 August, putting Coventry back level in an eventual 2–1 victory over Nottingham Forest in Coventry's first home game since April 2019 after ground sharing with Birmingham City. Gyökeres scored 17 goals in 45 league appearances for Coventry in the 2021–22 season.

In the 2022–23 Championship season, he was named as the player of the month in November after scoring four goals in four games, leading Coventry to four straight wins during that period. Three goals and three assists saw him win the award for a second time in March 2023.

Sporting CP

On 13 July 2023, Gyökeres signed a five-year contract with Primeira Liga side Sporting CP, who paid a club record transfer fee of €20 million (plus €4 million in bonuses) for him. Coventry also reserved 10 to 15% from a future transfer, and the release clause was set at €100 million.

2023–24: Primeira Liga title, Bola de Prata and Player of the Year

On 12 August, he made his debut for the club, starting and scoring twice in a 3–2 league victory at home to Vizela. On 21 September, Gyökeres made his debut in European competitions, starting and scoring in a 2–1 victory away at Sturm Graz, in the UEFA Europa League group stage. On 26 October, he was shown the first ever red card of his club career, seven minutes into Sporting CP's visit to Raków Częstochowa in a UEFA Europa League group stage match. On 2 November, on his Taça da Liga debut, Gyökeres scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 home victory over Farense. Ten days later, he scored in a 2–1 league loss away at local rivals Benfica. On 26 November, in his Taça de Portugal debut, Gyökeres came on as a second-half substitute and scored Sporting's last goal in an 8–0 home rout over Campeonato de Portugal side Dumiense. On 19 December, he scored and made an assist in a 2–0 league victory at home to rivals Porto.

On 5 January 2024, Gyökeres provided four assists in a 5–1 league victory at home to Estoril. On 17 March, he scored his first Primeira Liga hat-trick in a 6–1 victory over Boavista. Between September and January, Gyökeres scored thirteen goals and provided six assists, being named the league's Player of the Month and Forward of the Month for five consecutive months. On 29 April, with Sporting two goals down, he scored a brace in the 87th and 88th minutes in a 2–2 draw away against Porto at the Estádio do Dragão to ensure Sporting stayed on top of the league table, five points ahead of rivals Benfica. At the end of the month, Gyökeres was again named the league's Player of the Month and Forward of the Month.

On 5 May, Sporting mathematically secured their 20th Primeira Liga title, following Benfica's defeat to Famalicão, and Gyökeres won the Bola de Prata award, after he finished his first season at the club as the Primeira Liga Top scorer with 29 goals, scoring a brace on Sporting's final league match of the season, against Chaves on 18 May, to become the second Swedish player to win the top scorer award after Mats Magnusson in 1989–90. He was also named the best player of the Primeira Liga and was included in the Best XI. On 28 May, two days after his appearance for the club in the Portuguese Cup final, Gyökeres underwent surgery on his left knee in Lisbon.

2024–25 season

Gyökeres made his return from injury on 3 August 2024, assisting twice in the 4–3 loss to rivals Porto in the 2024 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. He scored seven times in the four league matches that month, including a hat-trick in a 5–0 win away to Farense on 23 August. In the process, he became the league highest top scorer in the 21st century, after four matchweeks. Gyökeres also earned the league's Player of the Month and Forward of the Month awards for the month of August. On 17 September, in his UEFA Champions League debut, he also scored his first goal in the competition, opening the scoring in their 2–0 victory over Lille, being awarded man of the match, during the inaugural matchday of the newly formatted Champions League league phase. On 1 November, Gyökeres scored four goals in a single match during a 5–1 rout against Farense, with his first-half hat-trick tying Beto Acosta's feat reached in the 2000–01 campaign. Four days later, he became the second Swedish player (after Zlatan Ibrahimović) and the first Sporting player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League era in a 4–1 victory over Manchester City. On 16 December, he was awarded the Golden Ball (Guldbollen), the annual Award for best Swedish footballer in 2024.

By the end of January 2025, Gyökeres suffered a hamstring injury, leading him to start only one league match during the months of January and February, and missing some crucial games including their final Champions League league phase match against Bologna and the knockout phase play-offs against Borussia Dortmund, which Sporting ended up losing 3–0 on aggregate. On 3 March, he scored twice in a 3–1 league victory against Estoril, and with those goals, he became the first player to have scored against every Primeira Liga team, he has faced in a single season. After two months, he fully recovered from his injury, six days later, adding another brace against Casa Pia by the same scoreline. Hours before the match, it was reported that he made a gentlemen's agreement with Sporting's president Frederico Varandas that would allow him to leave in the summer.

International career

Youth

Gyökeres played youth football for Sweden at under-19 and under-21 level. Gyökeres featured regularly for Sweden in the nation's qualification campaign for the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship during which he scored twice, including the winning goal against Italy to help Sweden qualify for the tournament for the first time. He was then selected for the squad which took part in the tournament in Georgia and scored in all three of Sweden's group matches but was unable to help the nation progress to the knockout stages of the tournament. His return of three goals later saw him share the Golden Boot award with England's Ben Brereton and Ryan Sessegnon, and the Netherlands' Joël Piroe.

Senior

On 8 January 2019, Gyökeres made his senior international debut for the Sweden men's national football team in a 1–0 loss against Finland. Three days later, Gyökeres scored his first senior goal for Sweden in a 2–2 draw against Iceland. In October 2021, after scoring 9 goals in 11 EFL Championship games for Coventry, Gyökeres was called up to the Sweden national team to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic to face Kosovo and Greece for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. On 16 October 2023, Gyökeres had given Sweden a 15th-minute lead before Romelu Lukaku equalised in an away game against Belgium, when the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier was abandoned at half-time following a Islamist-related fatal shooting in Brussels that targeted and killed two Swedes outside the stadium.

On 16 November 2024, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 win against Slovakia, helping Sweden clinch promotion to League B of the UEFA Nations League. Three days later, Gyökeres scored four goals in a 6–0 Nations League home win over Azerbaijan; completing his first international hat-trick in the process.

Player profile

Style of play

Gyökeres is known for his physicality, pace and stamina, using his acceleration to exploit space behind defenders and his strength to act as a target man in aerial duels and ground battles. He excels in both aerial duels and on the ground, using his strength and size to shield the ball and link play, often contributing by running the channels or delivering crosses, while also being capable of creating chances through sharp turns and flicks in one-on-one situations. His pressing ability, helps him disrupt opposition build-up and force defensive mistakes, helping also in set-piece situations.

At Sporting CP's 3–4–3 formation, he plays as the central striker positioned at the highest point in the attack to lead the offensive line. He often makes runs into the box and uses his physical presence to challenge defenders, pulling them out of position to create space for the wide forwards. Gyökeres also drifts into the wings or half-spaces to help stretch the opposition's defense. His link-up play involves holding the ball and distributing it to teammates, creating opportunities through his movement and positioning.

Goal celebrations

Gyökeres celebrates his goals by crossing both of his hands over his mouth; his teammate Josh Eccles said in March 2023: "I think the celebration is because of the character in the film [Hannibal Lecter]. He eats people and Viktor destroys defences." According to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in November 2023, Gyökeres said: "There were lots of guesses... It was this [Hannibal Lecter] and Batman and everything possible, but nobody got it right. No one came close. Yes, it's a secret. I can clarify that, but not today." On 18 December 2023, in the flash-interview for Sport TV after a 2–0 league victory at home to rivals Porto, he was questioned about his usual goal celebration and answered: "[laughs] I thought you'd ask me sooner. I've been here for a few months and no one has asked me that question... I'll tell you after the season if we win the league... no problem." In June 2024, the Portuguese media claimed the goal celebrations were inspired by Bane, a comics character, after Gyökeres has posted on Instagram a phrase attributed to Bane.

Personal life

Gyökeres is of Hungarian descent through his paternal grandfather who emigrated to Sweden, and is a dual citizen of Hungary and Sweden. His father Stefan Gyökeres played football for IFK Östersund and Stugun in the 1980s and 1990s.

Broadcaster CMTV reported in January 2024 that Gyökeres was in a relationship with Portuguese actress Inês Aguiar. He was formerly in a relationship with fellow professional footballer Amanda Nildén, whom he met in high school, and who joined the Brighton women's team when Gyökeres moved to the club in 2018.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 12 April 2025

International

As of match played 19 November 2024

Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gyökeres goal.

Honours

IF Brommapojkarna

• Superettan: 2017

Sporting CP

• Primeira Liga: 2023–24

Individual

• EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2022–23
• PFA Team of the Year: 2022–23 Championship
• EFL Championship Player of the Month: November 2022, March 2023
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship Golden Boot: 2017
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2017
• Primeira Liga top scorer: 2023–24
• Primeira Liga Player of the Year: 2023–24
• Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2023–24
• Primeira Liga Player of the Month: September 2023, October/November 2023, December 2023, January 2024, April 2024, August 2024
• Guldbollen: 2024
• Swedish Forward of the Year: 2023, 2024

References

External links

• Viktor Gyökeres at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish) (archive)
• Viktor Gyökeres national team profile at SvFF (in Swedish) (archived)