Sporting CP’s powerhouse striker has dominated Portuguese football, but now Europe’s biggest clubs are circling. Here’s why Viktor Gyökeres could be the next late-blooming legend.
Viktor Gyökeres is not just one of the hottest strikers in Europe right now—he’s rewriting the narrative for strikers outside the traditional “big five” leagues. After back-to-back Golden Boots in the Primeira Liga and a potential European Golden Shoe on the horizon, the Swedish striker has become impossible to ignore.
But what truly sets Gyökeres apart isn’t just his goal-scoring—it’s the terrifying consistency, physicality, and resilience that few are talking about.
The English Beginning Nobody Remembers
Before he lit up Portugal, Gyökeres had a quieter chapter in England. Between 2018 and 2023, he had spells at Brighton & Hove Albion, Swansea City, and most notably Coventry City, where he made his name in the Championship. He was even named in the 2022/23 EFL and PFA Championship Teams of the Season. Still, very few were paying attention.
That changed when Sporting CP manager Rúben Amorim took a gamble and signed Gyökeres in 2023 for a then-club record fee. From his debut—where he bagged a brace—it was clear the gamble was paying off.
Instant Impact in Portugal
The Swedish striker didn’t just adapt to Portuguese football—he dominated it. He scored on his debuts in the Primeira Liga, Europa League, and the Portuguese League Cup. Between September 2023 and January 2024, he won five straight Primeira Liga Player of the Month awards.
He helped Sporting secure their first league title in three years, picking up both the Golden Boot and Player of the Season honors along the way. Despite 58 goal involvements in 50 appearances, a late-season knee injury cast doubts over his future, and top clubs hesitated.
Big mistake.
A Second Season That Silenced the Doubters
Staying at Sporting for another year turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In the 2024/25 season, Gyökeres took his game to another level—this time on the Champions League stage.
He scored on his Champions League debut against Lille and then delivered a historic hat trick against Manchester City, becoming only the second Swedish player after Zlatan Ibrahimović to do so in the modern era of the competition.
Even after Amorim left mid-season, Gyökeres didn’t slow down. He scored against every single Primeira Liga team that season, finished with over 35 league goals (a 23-year record), and became the second-highest non-Portuguese scorer in Sporting’s history—achieved in less than two full seasons.
In just his first 50 appearances of the new season, he managed 65 goal involvements, contributing to over 53% of Sporting’s goals. He’s no longer just a rising star—he’s a full-fledged phenomenon.
Shades of Greatness: Zlatan, Adriano, Drogba, Van Nistelrooy?
Naturally, the comparisons have started.
Yes, he’s Swedish and powerful, so the Zlatan parallels are inevitable. But in truth, Gyökeres is closer in style to Adriano, the Brazilian powerhouse who could strike from anywhere and bulldoze through defenders.
Like Didier Drogba, Gyökeres was overlooked for much of his early career before erupting in his mid-20s. Drogba joined Marseille at 25 and exploded onto the scene. A year later, he moved to Chelsea, where he became a Premier League legend.
And then there’s Ruud van Nistelrooy, another late bloomer whose clinical finishing, physical presence, and penalty box instincts echo in Gyökeres’ game.
What’s Next for the Swedish Star?
At 26, Gyökeres is at the same age Drogba was when he moved to England. With Premier League clubs circling and Sporting likely to cash in this summer, the question isn’t if he’ll make the jump—but where.
Whether he joins a traditional giant or a rising Premier League project, Gyökeres looks ready to explode on an even bigger stage.
But what do you think? Will he thrive in one of Europe’s elite leagues, or is there still reason for skepticism?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments—and if you were Viktor Gyökeres, which club would you choose?
For more stories on rising stars, transfer insights, and deep football analysis, stay tuned to AceFootball.com.
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