Viktor Gyokeres Under Fire After Sweden's Crushing Defeat Exposes Striker's Struggles

Arsenal forward Viktor Gyökeres faced harsh criticism from Swedish media following his poor performance in Sweden's disappointing 2-0 loss to Switzerland on Friday evening.

Sweden hosted Switzerland at the Strawberry Arena, hoping to secure their first victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, but instead suffered a crushing defeat that significantly damages their chances of qualifying for next summer's tournament.

Gyökeres featured in the starting lineup alongside Liverpool's Alexander Isak—who also received heavy criticism for his performance—but neither striker could break through Switzerland's resolute defensive setup. The Arsenal attacker was especially disappointing, failing to register a single shot on target and recording an expected goals figure of merely 0.08.

Swedish publication Expressen delivered scathing criticism of Gyökeres following the final whistle, awarding him just a 1/5 rating for his showing.

"Charged forward from deep positions—right from the opening minute," they reported. "Viktor Gyökeres appeared energetic initially. Then fatigue set in. And sluggishness followed. His mistake count rose accordingly. Overall, it must be acknowledged that Gyökeres ranked among the poorest performers on the pitch."

Fotbollskanalen also expressed disappointment with the 27-year-old, commenting: "Sweden required Gyökeres to deliver his finest performance in this vital World Cup qualifying fixture. However, he failed to rise to the occasion when it mattered most."

Meanwhile, Svenska Fans shared similar frustrations, assigning him a 1/5 score and noting: "His recent form has been declining. I'm uncertain what's causing this downturn, but he appears to lack confidence at present. It feels quite deflated and uncomfortable to watch."

Gyökeres has enjoyed a decent beginning to his Arsenal journey, though he hasn't exactly dominated Premier League backlines. He's netted just three goals for the Gunners so far, with those strikes coming during comfortable home victories against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.

Both Arsenal and Sweden fans will be hoping for an improved display from their tall striker in Monday's vital World Cup qualifying match against Kosovo.