“I’ve always dreamt of playing in the UEFA Champions League… I had goosebumps when stepping out for my debut.”
— Viktor Gyökeres speaking before Sporting’s Champions League opener in 2024
Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Viktor Einar Gyökeres |
| Nickname(s) | Vic, The Glock White Zlatan Ibrahimović |
| Profession | Footballers |
Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Weight (approx.) | 94 kg (207 lbs) |
| Eye Colour | Blue |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
Football | |
| Professional Debut | August 20, 2015 for IF Brommapojkarna (age 17 years, 2 months, 16 days) |
| International Debut | January 8, 2019 for Sweden against Finland (age 20 years, 6 months, and ~19 days) |
| International Career | ➤ Sweden U19: 2015-2018 (18 caps, 10 goals) ➤ Sweden U21: 2019-2020 (8 caps, 4 goals) ➤ Sweden: 2019-present (26 caps, 15 goals) |
| Clubs | • Sporting CP (2023 – Present) • Coventry City (2021 – 2023) • Swansea City [loan] – (2020 – 2021) • St. Pauli [loan] – (2019 – 2020) • Brighton & Hove Albion (2018 – 2021) • IF Brommapojkarna (2015 – 2017) |
| Position | Striker |
| Jersey Number | — #9 (for the Primeira Liga club Sporting CP) — #17 (for the Sweden National team)  — #9 (for St. Pauli during the 2019-20 seasons)  |
| Current Team | Sporting CP |
| Rumored Team | Arsenal |
| Transfers and Loans | — June 2018: IF Brommapojkarna to Brighton & Hove Albion (€1m) — July 25, 2019: Loaned from Brighton to FC St. Pauli (2. Bundesliga) — October 2, 2020: Moved on loan to Swansea City — January 15, 2021: Loaned to Coventry City — July 9, 2021: Brighton to Coventry City (€1.2m) — July 13, 2023: Coventry City to Sporting CP (€21m) |
| Coach/Mentor | Dalibor Savic, Simon Rusk, Rúben Amorim, |
| Notable Records | ➤ Only player to score against every team in the Primeira Liga in a single season (2024/25) ➤ Top scorer in the Primeira Liga two seasons in a row (2023/24 & 2024/25) ➤ Scored 62 goals in the 2024 calendar year (club & country) ➤ First Sporting CP player to score a Champions League hat-trick since 2008 ➤ Two four-goal hauls in a single Primeira Liga season ➤ 19 penalties scored in 2024/25 season ➤ Second-highest scoring foreign player in Sporting CP history ➤ Best goal contribution rate in Primeira Liga history (Sporting era) |
| Awards, Honours, Achievements | Team Honours • Primeira Liga Champion with Sporting CP in 2023–24 and 2024–25 • Taça de Portugal Winner in 2024–25 • Superettan Winner in 2017 with IF Brommapojkarna Individual Awards • Primeira Liga Top Scorer (Bola de Prata) – 2023–24 (29 goals) and 2024–25 (39 goals) • Primeira Liga Player of the Year – 2023–24 season • Primeira Liga Team of the Year – 2023–24, 2024–25 • Player of the Month in the Primeira Liga (Sep 2023, Oct/Nov 2023, Dec 2023, Jan 2024, Apr 2024, Aug 2024, Mar 2025) • Forward of the Month • Taça da Liga Top Scorer – 2024–25 season • IFFHS World’s Best Top Division Goal Scorer 2024 (36 league goals) and World’s Best Goal Scorer 2024 (62 goals across all competitions) • Guldbollen (Swedish Footballer of the Year) – 2024 Other Achievements • UEFA Champions League Player of the Week for his Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City in March 2025 • Second in European Golden Shoe standings 2024–25 |
Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 4 June 1998 |
| Age (as of 2025) | 27 years |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | Hungarian, Swedish |
| Hometown | Stockholm, Sweden |
| College/University | Did not attend university |
| Religion | Catholicism |
| Ethnicity | Swedish and Hungarian |
| Hobbies | Working out at home, Playing Call of Duty, Studying Portuguese, Travelling |
| Controversies | • Conflict with Sporting CP Over Transfer Agreement Sporting’s president, Frederico Varandas, went public accusing Gyökeres and his agent of “blackmail and insults,” stating they reneged on a verbal agreement to accept a €60m fee plus €10m in add-ons. Gyökeres denies this and claims Sporting broke the pact.[1] • Alleged Leak of Medical Information by Sporting CP In June 2025, a report from Swedish outlet Aftonbladet claimed that Sporting CP deliberately leaked confidential information about Gyökeres’ meniscus surgery on May 28, 2024, to hinder potential transfer negotiations with other clubs. This was allegedly done to maintain control over his market value and transfer prospects. • Reported Outburst at Teammates An X post citing Portuguese outlet Record claimed that on August 5, 2024, Gyökeres screamed at his Sporting CP teammates in Swedish after a 4-3 loss to Porto in the Portuguese Super Cup. Manager Rúben Amorim reportedly had to intervene to calm him down. Unverified or Speculative Claims • An X post claimed Gyökeres “dumped his girlfriend” to cut ties with Lisbon and facilitate a transfer. This is unverified gossip from an unreliable source and not supported by credible reporting. [2] • An X post suggested Gyökeres’ agent publicly prioritized Arsenal over Manchester United, causing friction with some fans. This is speculative and lacks evidence of significant fallout. • Reports mentioned an awkward situation with Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly due to a prior “steal” comment, but this is vague and not substantiated as a major controversy. [3] |
| Social Media | |
Relationship & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | Amanda Nildén (Swedish footballer and fellow national team member) Dating period: 2018–2020  Inês Aguiar (Portuguese actress and model) Dating period: early 2024 to July 2025  |
Family | |
| Parents | Father – Stefan Gyökeres (Former footballer (IFK Östersund, Stuguns BK), youth coach, Key Account Manager) Mother – Katrina Gyökeres (strong pillar of support for Viktor)  |
Favorites | |
| Footballer(s) | Zlatan Ibrahimović, Cristiano Ronaldo |
| Club | Arsenal |
| Color | Blue |
| Food | fruit and eggs |
| Foot | right |
Rumour Clubs | |
| Interested clubs | ➤ Arsenal FC – Jul 7, 2025 (Lead interest in Gyökeres, involved in serious negotiations) ➤ Manchester United – Jun 11, 2025 (Seen as a backup option; United scouted him during Champions League matches, but Gyökeres has downplayed their interest and Manchester United are reportedly hesitant to match his valuation) ➤ Al-Hilal SFC – Jun 9, 2025 (He notably rejected lucrative proposals from Al‑Hilal and Al‑Qadisiyah (reported to be worth around 385 million SEK, approx. €35 million), stating his priority is to play in the Premier League) ➤ Juventus FC – Jun 9, 2025 (Rumoured to be on a shortlist of elite clubs; these remain speculative, with no concrete offers yet) |
Financial Status | |
| Salary (weekly) | €46,154 weekly at Sporting CP |
| Salary (approx.) | €2.4 million per annum at Sporting CP |
| Net Worth | £4 million (as of 2025) |
| Market Value | €75 million according to transfermarkt |
What You Never Knew About Viktor Gyökeres
▪ Viktor’s father, Stefan Gyökeres, is a former footballer who helped guide Viktor’s development from childhood. Stefan coached him personally before Viktor joined the youth ranks at IF Brommapojkarna, one of Sweden’s top academies. This hands-on upbringing gave him a strong technical foundation early in life.
▪ After signing for Sporting CP in 2023, Viktor made a personal commitment to adapt quickly by learning Portuguese. Within just 12 months, he became fluent enough to communicate with teammates and coaches, helping him integrate faster into the squad.
▪ Gyökeres follows a strict morning ritual that includes drinking a ginger shot and water first thing each day. He says this routine helps keep his immune system strong and his energy levels up, especially during intense match weeks.
▪ Viktor designed a home gym in his Lisbon house, styled with a clean Scandinavian look. This private space allows him to maintain peak physical condition outside of Sporting’s facilities and reflects his quiet, focused personality.
▪ Viktor’s signature “mask over the face” celebration has drawn comparisons to villains like Bane from Batman or Hannibal Lecter. However, Gyökeres once revealed that the celebration started as an inside joke with friends. The real meaning has never been fully explained publicly.
▪ In 2025, Gyökeres rejected highly lucrative contract offers from Saudi Arabian clubs such as Al-Hilal and Al-Qadsiah, despite the deals being worth over €30 million. He made it clear that his dream is to play in the Premier League rather than chasing money.
▪ Early in his career, Viktor was a left-winger. It wasn’t until his coaches at Brighton and later Coventry shifted him into the central forward role that he began showing his true goal-scoring potential.
▪ Viktor has shared moments with his younger brother on social media, but he’s extremely private about family matters. He rarely discusses his sibling or personal life in interviews. true goal-scoring potential.
▪ In a candid interview, Viktor revealed that he didn’t enjoy football when he first started at six years old. He admitted feeling uncomfortable and out of place because everything was new to him. It wasn’t love at first sight—but over time, as he gained confidence, the sport became his passion.
“I didn’t like football at first as a six-year-old … I was new, and I wasn’t comfortable with that,” Gyökeres told Vogue Scandinavia.
