Viktor Gyokeres has stepped up to provide a tangible symbol of that success on the pitch. He started his career at Brighton & Hove Albion, featured all the way through the youth system and into the first team. He certainly had potential as a winger during his recent spell with Brighton. He left the club after just eight appearances, none in the Premier League and just one goal scored. In 1996 Coventry City signed him for £1 million, the crucial step on his path. Little did he know, this decision would prove to be the springboard for his professional metamorphosis.
Gyokeres first came into the fold at Brighton, being signed up as a teenager, where he featured predominantly as a left-winger. His debut came in this position, with four senior appearances thus far in this role. He did show flashes of his brilliance on the big stage. Most impressively, he netted one and assisted another in a 2nd-round triumph against Portsmouth. He began the fourth-round loss to Manchester United. Lest we forget, he played alongside future Arsenal teammates and English boys Ben White and Leandro Trossard during that match.
As good as Gyokeres is, he was boxed in at Brighton. Paul Barber, the club’s chief executive, acknowledged that while Gyokeres progressed exceptionally well, the club could not guarantee him first-team football. Barber noted, “At that time we couldn’t guarantee him first-team football here. We were very happy to continue to loan Viktor so he could continue to progress.”
It was this absence of guaranteed playing time that nudged Gyokeres to look for chances elsewhere. He had wanted a more permanent position sooner rather than later. Barber reflected on this desire, stating, “I think it says a lot about Viktor himself that he wanted a more permanent base sooner. He eventually got that and the rest is history.”
At Swansea City, the club extended Gyokeres’ development down the left wing during his loan spell and retained responsibilities for overall coaching and use. His former teammate Josh Kerr recalled Gyokeres’ capabilities: “He’s probably one of the most ruthless players that I’ve seen when he’s on the halfway line and he’s going to goal from the left.” Kerr emphasized Gyokeres’ physicality and work ethic: “It was just the pace and power; sometimes teams couldn’t cope with that.”
Gyokeres’ ability to contribute defensively caught Kerr’s attention. “You want your wingers to work back and help your full-backs out – doing the thankless task of doubling up when you go to some of those tough away grounds,” he noted. “He would do it without you having to ask him – which is massive for certain teams or managers.”
Though his time at Brighton was turbulent, Gyokeres always kept faith with his dreams. Upon leaving the club he joined Coventry City permanently, where he blossomed into a household name. His time at Coventry was so impressive that it was there that his legendary balletic goal celebration was born, ‘the mask’. He wryly accepted that this jubilation had been marred by a marked upturn in his later fortunes in front of goal.
Gyokeres didn’t stop working, and with all of this work, it really paid off. In 2025, he won the Gerd Müller Trophy for the best goalscorer, over players of all positions. His path is a testament to how hard work pays off, even if one’s first chance does not appear promising.
Barber reflected on Gyokeres’ development: “It’s always good when you spot a young talent, nurture them, and you see them go on to even better things.” He had no doubt that Gyorkeres could be a great player — he just needed the right space and milieu to thrive.
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