Viktor Gyokeres only arrived at Arsenal a couple of weeks ago but has already achieved something no one else has in red and white since Mesut Ozil in 2013.
The Gunners were desperate to bolster their forward line this summer, and after months of pursuing the likes of Ollie Watkins and Benjamin Sesko, eventually settled on the Swede.
Arsenal completed a £63 million deal for Gyokeres late in July, and he’s now already taken part in two pre-season matches.
Still settling in and getting acclimatised to his teammates, Mikel Arteta will hope his new striker starts scoring goals and hits the ground running when the Premier League season kicks off in just over a week.
Viktor Gyokeres nominated for the Ballon d’Or
Netting 54 goals in 52 games across all competitions and single-handedly carrying Sporting CP to a domestic double, it was no surprise that several clubs were after Gyokeres this summer.
Arsenal won the race to land him, fending off competition from Manchester United and Juventus for his signature.
These goal-scoring exploits have not only been rewarded with a move to a top European club, but also with a nomination for a prestigious award.
Gyokeres is in contention for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, nominated alongside 29 other players, including the likes of Mohamed Salah, Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal.
Declan Rice has also been nominated, with the winner to be announced later this year, in September, at the award ceremony.
Gyokeres becomes the first player since Mesut Ozil to receive a Ballon d’Or nomination after signing for Arsenal during the qualifying period.
Ozil received a nomination in 2013 after excelling for half a season for Real Madrid, before joining Arsenal in the summer.
Which other Arsenal players have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or recently?
Arsenal have never had a Ballon d’Or winner.
However, they’ve had players nominated for the award in recent times, after Thierry Henry was regularly a contender in the early 2000s.
Alexis Sanchez was a nominee in 2015, after enjoying an outstanding debut season in North London.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was in contention in 2019, after having scored at a prolific rate for the Gunners.
In 2023, both Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard earned nominations, and the pair repeated this feat a year later.
Rice and William Saliba were also nominated in 2024.
Meanwhile, Alessia Russo is one of the favourites for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, with Mariona Caldentey, Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson also in the running.
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