Viktor Gyökeres took home the Gerd Müller Trophy at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. The Swedish footballer had an outstanding season with Sporting Lisbon, but he left the club bitter way, and now plays for Arsenal.
This award, introduced in 2021 as Striker of the Year, recognises the highest scoring players across Europe. It can be won by any player on any European leagues (not the American nor Asian leagues), and counts goals scored for club and national team. Gyökeres netted 54 goals in 52 matches last season, more than Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, or Mohamed Salah.
Thus, the Swede takes the award after losing the Golden Boot, which was won by Kylian Mbappé: the French Real Madrid striker scored less goals, but for that award (which only takes into consideration club goals), playing in one of the five main leagues (LaLiga, Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A) grants more points than playing in the Primeira Liga in Portugal.
Viktor Gyökeres succeeds Mbappé and Kane, who won the award last year, scoring 52 goals for their clubs. Erling Haaland won in 2023 (56 goals) and Robert Lewandowski won in 2021 and 2022 (he scored 69 goals in 2021).