VALENCIA, Spain — Ukraine’s head coach Serhiy Rebrov remarked that Viktor Gyökeres demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the top players in Europe after the Sweden forward netted a hat trick in Thursday’s World Cup playoff against Ukraine at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium.
Gyökeres initiated the scoring early and added two more goals in the second half, leading Sweden to a 3-1 victory and setting up a qualifying match against Poland on Tuesday for a chance to participate in this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Ukraine managed to respond with a late goal from young player Matvii Ponomarenko but fell short of qualifying for their first World Cup since 2006.
“Gyökeres performed excellently and was the key player tonight,” Rebrov noted during his post-match press conference.
“He showcased his talent, which is why he plays for Arsenal and why he ranks among the best strikers in Europe.”
With Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski absent, Gyökeres stepped up when Sweden needed him most, converting a cross from Benjamin Nygren in the sixth minute to open the scoring.
The Arsenal forward, who had not found the net during the World Cup qualification phase until Thursday, then capitalized on a long pass from goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, displaying both strength and skill to extend his team’s lead.
He completed his hat trick with a penalty that he earned himself, prompting coach Graham Potter to praise his performance.
“Clearly, Viktor’s display was remarkable,” Potter stated. “Beyond the goals, scoring a hat trick is one achievement, but I thought his overall hold-up play and defensive contributions to the team were part of an outstanding performance.”
When asked what he had told Gyökeres prior to the match, he joked: “I simply said go and score a hat trick. But truly, the beauty of the victory is that everyone contributed. The team’s mentality was excellent.
“Viktor’s performance is the highlight and rightfully draws attention. He was phenomenal. However, he will acknowledge that the team supporting him is also exceptional. We still have room for improvement. This marks the beginning of our journey together.”
This was only Potter’s third match as Sweden’s coach, and it marked their first victory in qualification after advancing to the playoffs due to their performances in the Nations League, having not won any of their six group matches in World Cup qualifying.
They must now regroup and prepare for Tuesday’s decisive match against Poland in Sweden.
“Tonight was a significant step forward,” he added. “I like how the team performed together against a strong opponent, adapted, and fought as a unit.
“We are also aware that another game awaits us. The task is not yet complete. We have a crucial match on Tuesday against a formidable Poland team. We need to recover and be ready to compete again.”
For Ukraine, the defeat in Valencia marked the conclusion of their World Cup aspirations. It may also signify the end for Rebrov, who has only two months remaining on his contract.
“I can state that my contract expires in two months, and I have not received any proposal from the [Ukrainian Football Association to renew], so we will see in two months,” he said.
“I am unsure if every fan is awaiting an answer, but I have consistently mentioned that I have a contract, and we have one more match to play during that time. We will see in two months when my contract concludes.”
