Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres is under growing pressure because of his performance as an international forward. His much-hyped partnership with Alexander Isak striking nothing when he needs it the most as a Swedish team.
This crisis came to its peak on October 13, 2025. Sweden lost terribly, 1-0, at home to Kosovo, in a qualifier to the world cup. The defeat saw Sweden in the bottom of their qualifying group with only one out of the four matches with only two goals scored. This outcome turned out to be the last straw of the Swedish FA who fired manager Jon Dahl Tomasson hours after the final whistle.
A Partnership Losing Its Spark
Sweden has struggled with the dramatic loss of form of two of their premier strikers. Both Gyokeres and Isak are considered to be two of the most expensive attackers in the entire Premier League. However, the two have not scored a single goal during the ongoing World Cup qualifying campaign. It is a sharp contrast to their shape a year ago during a victorious Nations League trip. They scored 13 goals in six matches, and Gyokeres took nine of them.
A Team in Turmoil
On pitch failures have created havoc in the squad. One of the players described by the author as a response to the insults of the Swedish fans was defender Victor Lindelof, who made an ironic thumbs-up gesture after the Kosovo match. In the meantime, winger Anthony Elanga was seen in the tunnel crying, “This damn system needs to go,” in reference of an unpopular system of 3-5-2 that was created by Tomasson to accommodate both Isak and Gyokeres, but has been less than fruitful.
The manager’s decisions also drew internal criticism. Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall revealed that Tomasson only named his starting lineup one hour before kick-off against Kosovo, a move that left players bemused.
Author’s Opinion
In the case of Gunners‘ striker Gyokeres, the international break has provided him with a sobering experience. The has encountered difficultiesin transferring his club form to the international realm. With the barrel of not playing another major tournament looming over Sweden, the onus is on their star striker to find the scoring form in addition to the club and on the international stage to show his value to both Arsenal and Sweden.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
