Viktor Gyökeres Hat-trick vs Ukraine Marks Sweden's Star Turn on Path to World Cup

Viktor Gyökeres's stunning hat-trick against Ukraine in Sweden's 3–0 victory dominated post-match coverage on March 27, with pundits declaring the Arsenal striker one of the most dangerous forwards heading into the tournament if Sweden qualify on March 31. Gyökeres — who scored 43 goals for Arsenal in the 2024–25 season — had been considered a doubt amid fitness speculation but delivered a commanding display in Valencia. Sweden face Poland in the Path B final on March 31 at Friends Arena in Solna. Kosovo's 4–3 victory over Slovakia was also widely described as the upset of the playoff round.