Viktor Gyokeres and Conrad Harder at the end of the Liga Portugal Betclic match against CF Estrela da Amadora (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Viktor Gyökeres has taken European football by storm since joining Sporting in 2023, spearheading them to the league title and a club-record 90 points and 29 wins. After winning the Portuguese Golden Boot with 29 goals, he looks set to surpass last season's tally with an astonishing 16 goals in 11 matches – twice as many goals as the next-best scorer – and become the first player in a decade to finish atop Portugal’s scoring charts in consecutive years. The Swedish striker sits atop the Champions League leaderboards alongside Raphinha, Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski with five goals, and it’s seemingly only a matter of time before he leaves Sporting for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
However, Gyökeres was nowhere to be seen in their most recent match in Braga, with his sole shot being blocked. Instead, a different Scandinavian striker stole the show and delivered the goods in attack: Conrad Harder.
The stakes could not be higher: this was the 231st and final match for Rúben Amorim, the greatest manager in Sporting’s modern history. Since taking charge in 2020, Amorim has ended a 19-year title drought, delivered two Taça da Liga titles, and transformed Sporting from also-rans to a dominant force in Portugal, prompting Manchester United to offer him the managerial job. Braga looked set to spoil his swan song with Ricardo Horta scoring a first-half brace, causing Amorim to introduce Harder and Hidemasa Morita in the 58th minute. Morita needed just a few seconds to score, while his midfield partner Morten Hjulmand equalized in the 81st minute. Harder completed the comeback on the cusp of extra time, receiving the ball with his back to goal before swiveling his body, breaking free, and firing a rocket from 25 yards out, while he completed his brace in the final minutes with another powerful left-footed strike. Despite only playing 381 minutes thus far, Harder has already racked up five goals and one assist in 11 games for Sporting, and there’s reason to believe that he will continue his progression under new manager João Pereira.
“Harder has been a pleasant surprise,” said Sporting fan and journalist Kevin Fernandes to RG.
“The similarities between him and Gyökeres are multifold: the ball-striking tendencies, dominating physical attributes, and sheer drive and hunger.
Harder is an assertive, natural finisher, but he’s also very one-footed and can force shots in situations where he could benefit from choosing the moment more selectively. His passing ability is also very basic, which is the main factor limiting his evolution as an attacker in the Sporting system.”
Born in Holte, Denmark, Harder honed his skills in FC Nordsjælland’s academy before making his professional debut in June 2023. Harder looked set to spend the 2024-25 season in Denmark after penning a four-year contract extension on August 22, only to end up joining Sporting 11 days later for a fee of €19 million rising to €22 million with add-ons. Having scored nine goals and four assists in 41 appearances for Nordsjælland, including five goal contributions in his last six matches, it hasn't taken long for him to build on that momentum in Portugal.
After coming on for the final minutes vs. Lille, Harder was given his full debut on September 22 in the following match against newly promoted AVS. Starting on the left side of the attack, Harder broke the deadlock within a quarter-hour, timing his run to perfection on the edge of the box, caressing the ball toward goal, and firing past Mexico legend Guillermo Ochoa at his near post. Sporting continued to besiege Ochoa’s goal and were soon rewarded, with the same three Scandinavian players who combined for the opener working their magic once again. Hjulmand capitalized on a loose touch from John Mercado and robbed him of possession, and Harder was quick to react and spray an inch-perfect pass towards Gyökeres, who made no mistake with the finish.
Out of Harder’s 11 appearances, only two have lasted over an hour. However, his door to the starting line-up seems to have opened up. Pedro Gonçalves suffered a thigh injury against Braga, which will keep him out until the New Year, leaving a gaping hole on the left side of attack alongside Gyökeres and Francisco Trincão. While he faces ample competition from Marcus Edwards and Maximiliano Araújo, Harder has what it takes to take advantage of Gonçalves’ absence and prove why he’s capable of filling Gyökeres' void in the increasingly likely event that he leaves for a club-record fee next summer.
Sporting sits second in the UEFA Champions League standings with 10 points and first in the Liga Portugal with 33 from a possible 33, sitting six points atop the league table. What’s more, apart from a 1-1 draw to PSV Eindhoven, they have won each of their 16 matches this season. It remains to be seen whether João Pereira can fill Rúben Amorim's lofty footsteps and maintain Sporting's perfect start to the campaign, but one thing's for sure: if Sporting is to become the first team in nine years to win back-to-back Portuguese championships, expect Conrad Harder to have a significant role to play.
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Zach Lowy
