A few months ago, Viktor Yokeres wasn’t a well-known name in the football world. It was his hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League that truly put him on the map. While that match brought him into the spotlight, Yokeres had already been making waves long before.
As a result, Yokeres is set to finish 2024 as the top scorer of the year. According to Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old has scored 52 goals in 56 matches for Sporting Lisbon across all competitions this year.
For his national team, Yokeres has scored 10 goals in 7 matches, bringing his total to 62 goals from 63 matches in 2024. No other player is even close to his goal tally. Even Erling Haaland, who is set to finish the year in second place, trails Yokeres by 13 goals. Haaland has scored 49 goals for both club and country this year.
In terms of the most goals in a calendar year in this century, Yokeres now ranks fourth. The top three are Robert Lewandowski (69 goals in 2021), Cristiano Ronaldo (69 goals in 2013), and Lionel Messi (91 goals in 2012).
But it’s not just about goals for Yokeres. His overall performance has also been impressive, making him a hot target for top clubs. Rumors have emerged about a potential move to Arsenal, with negotiations reportedly underway between the Gunners and Sporting Lisbon. Additionally, former Sporting coach Ruben Amorim may look to bring Yokeres to Manchester United in an attempt to revitalize their squad.
In the transfer market, anything can change at any moment. But one thing is clear: top clubs are likely to be in a fierce battle for Yokeres in the coming days.
With 46 goals, Harry Kane sits in third place, while last year’s top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo is fourth with 43 goals.
2024 Highest Goal Scorers:
- Viktor Yokeres (Sporting Lisbon) – 62 goals
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – 49 goals
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) – 46 goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) – 43 goals
- Wu Lei (Shanghai Port) – 42 goals
