Chasing Zlatan's goal record: "It's possible"

During the previous national team gathering in October, Viktor Gyökeres scored in all four games. In total, there have been 25 national team goals in 41 international matches and ten of the goals have come during the year with Graham Potter as national team captain.

A powerful conclusion.

- You just want to continue on that track and score goals for the national team. It's a fantastic feeling, it can't get much better, says Gyökeres to the media at the national team's hotel outside Valencia.

At the same time, everyday life at Arsenal has not been quite as festive during the autumn. Sure, Gyökeres scored against Slavia Prague in the Champions League as recently as last week. But most often - and above all in the Premier League - the Swede gets to start on the bench when coach Mikel Arteta instead invests in Kai Havertz as a central striker.

- It has felt good when I have played and we have won most of the matches. It was a heavy loss in the cup (against Fleetwood Town) but otherwise it felt good for myself and for the team, says Gyökeres diplomatically.

At the same time, he does not deny that there are differences in his roles in the national team and the club team.

- It is clear that here there are many cases where we play a bit straighter football offensively. A bit more central sometimes too, so it's clear that you can be more involved in general. But it also depends on who you meet. It is clear that at Arsenal it is sometimes difficult when we play against teams that park the bus. There aren't that many areas to get hold of the ball and run in behind, he says.

Gyökeres won the Ballon d'Or in 2024 and laughs when asked who should win it this year.

- In any case, I'm not in a bad position, he notes and sums up from 2026:

- I have pushed Sweden to the World Cup, I scored the most goals in Arsenal and won the Premier League, we made it to a Champions League final, I played the World Cup for Sweden. Yes, it has been going quite well.

Against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Solna on Saturday, the blue-yellow goal machine is chasing new goals. It is important not to slow down if he is to be able to reach the 62 goals that Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in 122 international matches.

- If I continue to play for a longer period then... it is clear that it is possible.

If reaching the record can be a goal in itself?

- Yes, 100 percent.

Sweden leads its group in the Nations League and has a chance to secure first place with a win on Saturday.