The battle for the throne of Europe’s top scorers has a new chapter, and this time, Erling Haaland is not the only protagonist. The Norwegian forward, accustomed to dominating the statistics, has found a tough rival in Viktor Gyökeres, the 26-year-old Swedish striker who is having a dream season with Sporting Portugal and his national team.

Both players reached the final matchday of the Nations League group stage with impressive numbers. Haaland, at 24 years old, had accumulated seven goals in the tournament, including three in Norway's 5-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan, which secured their promotion to League A. Gyökeres, however, did not fall behind and took advantage of Sweden’s 6-0 victory over Azerbaijan to score a four-goal haul and finish with nine goals, crowning himself the tournament's top scorer.

The Swede has not only shone internationally; his performance with Sporting places him among the most prominent forwards in European football. So far this season, he has scored 32 goals in 24 matches, spread across the Primeira Liga, the Champions League, and the Nations League. His effectiveness positions him as the top scorer in all three competitions, an achievement few players can boast.

Gyökeres is also outpacing Haaland in the calendar year numbers: 58 goals in 54 matches, compared to the Norwegian’s 22 goals in 22 matches this season. While Haaland remains a goal-scoring machine with Manchester City and Norway, the Swedish forward's current form is undeniable.

With such numbers, Viktor Gyökeres is placing his name at the top of European football and making it clear that the race for being the continent's top scorer is more alive than ever.