Gyokeres vs Messi: Chasing 73 goals.© (@Joe_d39)
Viktor Gyokeres is on fire this season, and the football world can’t seem to get enough. With a jaw-dropping 24 goals in just 17 club games, including a hat-trick against Manchester City, the Sporting striker has firmly placed himself among Europe’s elite. When you add his nine goals in six Nations League games for Sweden, Gyokeres has already racked up 32 goals in 23 matches. But the real question on everyone’s mind is: Could Gyokeres challenge Lionel Messi’s legendary 2011-12 season, where he set the European record with 73 goals?
Messi’s record of 73 goals in 60 games for Barcelona is the benchmark for strikers across Europe. It’s the stuff of legend, standing as the highest tally in modern football. Gerd Muller’s 66 goals for Bayern Munich in 1972-73 and Ferenc Deak’s 66 for Szentlorinci in 1945-46 follow close behind. Then there are the likes of Dixie Dean’s 63 goals for Everton in 1927-28 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s 61 for Real Madrid in 2014-15, each of which has cemented their place in the football history books.
But here’s the kicker: Gyokeres is already outpacing Messi’s early-season form from 2011-12. After 17 games, Gyokeres scored 24 goals, while Lionel Messi scored 22 at the same stage. What’s more, Gyokeres is averaging a goal every 65 minutes, better than Messi’s 72-minute average that season. It’s a remarkable start, but can the Swedish striker sustain it and push toward that 73-goal mark?
For Gyokeres to come close to Messi’s record, he’ll need to continue his blistering pace throughout the season. That means playing in every possible match, which would require Sporting to go deep into both domestic cups and the Champions League. If all goes well and sports enjoy a long run in these competitions, Gyokeres could play up to 60 games – the same number Messi managed in 2011-12. However, this requires both Gyokeres’ health and his form to remain at peak levels throughout the entire campaign.
It’s not just club football where Gyokeres is lighting it up. His international performances for Sweden have been just as impressive. With nine goals already in the Nations League and more games to come, Gyokeres is showing that his scoring ability isn’t confined to domestic competitions. Messi, by comparison, scored nine goals in nine games for Argentina during his 2011-12 campaign, a figure Gyokeres is poised to match.
Gyokeres’ rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Just a few seasons ago, he was struggling to make an impact at Brighton, then moving through loan spells at Swansea and Coventry. But now, he’s a goal machine, surpassing last season’s tally of 43 goals and on course to smash his personal best. His two full seasons at Coventry saw him score 18 and 22 goals, but this is a whole new level.
While Messi’s 2011-12 season was also part of an upward trajectory, it’s worth noting that the Barcelona star had already been a prolific scorer for years, with previous seasons boasting totals of 16, 38, 47, and 53 goals. Gyokeres, on the other hand, has hit his peak in a much shorter time frame, making his rise even more impressive.
At this rate, Gyokeres is writing his legendary chapter in the footballing world. The possibility of matching or even surpassing Messi’s 73 goals seems far from impossible. As long as Sporting keeps playing at a high level and Gyokeres stays in top form, we could be witnessing a historic season in the making. Whether he ultimately reaches Messi’s numbers or not, one thing is clear: Viktor Gyokeres is a striker to watch, and his future is looking incredibly bright.
