Viktor Gyökeres passes Erling Haaland as Nations League top scorer

Sweden ahead Viktor Gyökeres scored four goals on Tuesday in a 6-0 rout of Azerbaijan to overtake Erling Haaland as top scorer in the Nations League.

The 26-year-old started the evening with five goals from five Nations League games and now sits on nine goals, two ahead of Haaland’s seven.

His third goal of the night in the 58th minute – scored just seconds after the game had restarted following another Swedish goal – took Sporting CP to eight goals in six games in this edition of the Nations League, one more than Haaland.

Gyökeres – one of the most in-demand players in world football this season – didn’t stop there and added his fourth goal of the match soon after.

“I’m hungry and I want to score a lot of goals,” Gyökeres said. “I feel like I’m in good shape. I’m often in the right place and I try to finish in the area.”

“We needed to win by a certain goal difference and we did. It was a good night. It’s fun to score so many goals.”

Haaland had been the top scorer ahead of the final matchday after the Manchester City forward scored seven goals for Norway, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Kazakhstan on Sunday.

The Sporting CP striker was involved in the build-up of Dejan Kulusevskis opening goal and scored his first goal in the 25th minute after a cross from Kulusevski. His second came in the 37th minute from a tight angle after being forced into goal by a defender.

Gyökeres completed his hat-trick in unusual style from Azerbaijan’s kickoff. Kulusevski had just scored and Azerbaijan played the ball back to defender Zamig Aliyev from the restart, but Aliyev – making his debut – was put under pressure by Gyökeres and let the ball run loose, leaving an easy finish. Gyökeres scored again in the 70th from a cross from Anton Saletros.