Viktor Gyökeres is criticized in Arsenal but is Sweden's key player ahead of the Nations League meeting with Romania

Time for the autumn call-up for the Swedish national football team players. Match against Romania in the Nations League at the national arena in Solna. A first step towards European Championship 2028, a good autumn gives a better qualification seeding.

When Viktor Gyökere's name is called, it is in a completely different reality from his everyday life.

Here he is liked, appreciated and extremely important. The goal against Poland took Sweden to the WC.

In England, he is mocked, sawed and ridiculed in a way that gives vibes of adult bullying. In addition, he is the most poked.

Viktor Gyökeres became Sweden's most expensive footballer (before Alexander Isak went to Liverpool) when, after an infected end in Sporting Lisbon, he went to Arsenal. He cost the equivalent of SEK 850 million just over a year ago.

The first season should be described as a pure success.

21 goals, the best of a new signing at the club in over ten years.

League title, Champions League final and 21 goals, the best of a new signing at the club in over ten years.

Nevertheless, criticism knocked on the door as soon as he made a worse match.

And this season it has derailed.

Kai Havertz is coach Mikel Arteta's first choice. Gyökeres has only started two out of eight competitive matches and then the cuts have been juicy. It has even spread to other international media.

After the Champions League match against Napoli, Gazzetta dello Sport thought Gyökeres was "like a coffee table from Ikea: immobile and quickly fixed".

The effort against Ipswich in the league cup created new saws. The Evening Standard newspaper gave him by far the worst rating and wrote:

"He was a spectator. Only managed a tame finish, and that can no longer be explained away by a lack of forward plays. There was a lack of will to make runs and create space in the penalty area. The ball contact was lousy once he got the ball."

Completely disconnected from the rest of the team, as if he were analog in a digital world.

At one point, Viktor Gyökeres misjudged the runs of his teammates and knocked the ball away madly. It became a viral clip and the site Football365 reviewed:

"It's hard to remember a player as out of place – as a polar bear in Arlington, Texas, completely disconnected from the rest of the team, as if he were analog in a digital world".

And yet. When Friday is late and the match against Romania begins, then Viktor Gyökeres is Sweden's most important player.

Confederation captain Graham Potter already stated in the DN interview before the presentation of the squad that Sweden cannot continue to concede many goals. And when the defensive game starts, it is with Gyökere's hard and determined pressure.

Potter wants his Sweden to be a team where the players work hard for each other and for the crowd, showing energy and courage. Viktor Gyökere's way of defeating opponents is to show examples.

Going forward, I'm not at all worried that the poking and sawing will affect his confidence. Gyökeres has been out in the cold earlier in his career.

No one in the team can combine rough work and goal shooting like him.

Goalkeeper and friend Viktor Johansson has told how Viktor Gyökeres never doubted that he was going back, that he was going up, that he was going to succeed.

Potter's first time as national team captain was marked by a lot of must-win matches. This is the beginning of something new. The results are still important, but now there is also the chance to build a foundation.