Artem Stepanov: Teenage striker being dubbed 'the Ukrainian Erling Haaland' after taking the Eredivisie by storm

Born in the city of Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine, Stepanov's football journey began almost as soon as he was born in 2007. His father, Roman, was a coach who played for several Ukrainian clubs as a forward and focused his expertise on his son. Soon, Artem joined the academy of Volyn Lutsk, the club that Roman started and ended his career with, and left for Shakhtar at the age of 13.

Two years in, though, his father opted to take the family to Germany as Russia’s invasion began. After a month-long trial, Bayern Munich were set to offer Stepanov a contract, but for reasons reportedly of a 'non-sporting nature' the deal fell through.

A family friend subsequently put the Stepanovs in contact with Bayer Leverkusen, who signed Artem in the summer of 2022. He was an immediate star. After helping the Under-17s win the league by scoring 18 goals in 23 matches, he was promoted to the U19s and continued to excel.

Scoring in almost every league game and impressing in the UEFA Youth League, Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso called Stepanov up to the senior squad. While he remained an unused substitute in the Bundesliga, he made his first appearance as a substitute during the 5-0 win over Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League in November 2024.

"Right now, it feels like a dream," he said after the final whistle. "I've always wanted to play in the Champions League. I'm very, very happy."

Although he was nervous, Stepanov's confidence grew, and he was soon giving instructions to experienced midfielder and captain Granit Xhaka. "I told him where he should stand for the corner. Then I told him he was well positioned. I helped him," he said.

Xhaka had already grown to adore the youngster, saying: "You can see his stats in the U19s. He hasn't been in Germany that long, but he's settled in very well and speaks good German. That's very important for him, that he understands things. He's incredibly down-to-earth and a good listener.

"For his age, he has a huge physique and knows how to use it. He also knows exactly where the goal is, which is crucial for a striker."

It was an uplifting start, but only one more brief appearance followed - against Sparta Prague - before Leverkusen sent Stepanov on loan to second-tier side Nuremberg in the summer of 2025. Unable to get going under coach Miroslav Klose, the deal was terminated midway through the campaign and a move across the border to Utrecht was arranged in the winter window.

Thrown almost immediately into the Eredivisie side's starting XI, it took the teenager a few weeks to break his duck. His maiden strike - a penalty against AZ - not only earned him the Player of the Match award, but kick started a run of four goals in five matches.

Utrecht came close to qualifying for the Conference League via the Eredivisie play-offs, with Stepanov scoring in the semi-final, but Ajax beat them on penalties in the final.

In April, Utrecht and Leverkusen agreed to extend the loan until the end of the 2026-27 campaign, that includes an option for the Dutch side to sign Stepanov outright for €2 million.

"I really like it here. I'm glad that I've started scoring more in recent matches, although I have to say that these goals are largely the team's merit," Stepanov said.

New coach Anthony Correia was delighted, saying to VoetbalPrimeur: "Isn't that great? He's a great player, a great guy. I think if he stays here, he's going to score a lot of goals for us."

Since his return from the summer break, the 19-year-old has been sensational, even though Utrecht have managed just one win from their seven Eredivisie matches. After opening the campaign with a fine header against AZ, Stepanov slid in at the back post to score in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Sparta the following week. He then gave Utrecht hope against champions PSV when he came charging in to the box to fire in the early opener, but they went on to lose 6-1.

He had looked promising against Go Ahead Eagles despite his side trailing 3-1 when objects rained down from the stands and forced the game to be halted. When the game was concluded days later behind closed doors, Stepanov scored Utrecht's 90th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot.

Against Excelsior, the 19-year-old made it an incredible five goals in five matches when he muscled off his marker to tap home a low cross and open the scoring as Utrecht got their first win of the season. "I wasn't really surprised by it," he told VoetbalPrimeur of his bright start. "I know what I am capable of."

It was no surprise when Stepanov was called up to the Ukraine squad for the first time, but he was forced to pull out after suffering an ankle injury in the first half of last week’s defeat at Feyenoord.

Standing at 6'3, Stepanov is a towering striker with a natural edge in aerial and physical battles, but he is not a simple traditional target man or poacher. When Utrecht need to dig the ball out of their half, Stepanov will drop deep or drift wide to relieve pressure, using his body to hold up the ball before laying it off to a team-mate. Combined with flashes of his good dribbling ability and speed, he can beat defenders and carry his team up the pitch.

Many of Stepanov’s goals are down to his ability to read the game. His sharp spatial awareness and anticipation of where the ball will end up allow him to position himself for a simple finish in the box and cause havoc in the opponent’s box.

"He is smart in front of goal, he is dangerous, he uses his body," Utrecht boss Correia said. "He can still make huge strides in that area, so he is truly a top striker in the making."

His Eredivisie exploits have confirmed the tremendous potential that Stepanov showed at youth level with Leverkusen. However, it is still early for the young forward, and despite his 10 goals in 21 games for Utrecht, he remains unproven.

The loan spell at Nurnberg, where he failed to score in 13 games, proved a difficult adjustment and served as a reminder that physical dominance alone isn't always enough to succeed in certain environments. In stronger leagues, he will have to put in more effort off the ball and his technique needs further development, as even team-mate Dani de Wit highlighted: "He holds the ball confidently, although sometimes the ball bounces off his feet a lot."

As defender Matisse Didden put it in March: "He is sometimes still a bit of a rough diamond, but he is definitely a diamond… He is really coming into his own."

They may not share the same hairstyle anymore following Haaland's recent haircut, but that won't stop Stepanov being compared to the Manchester City hero. He is only slightly shorter than the Norwegian goal machine but not nearly as physically imposing or as powerful. While Stepanov is seven years younger, it is unrealistic to expect him to grow into a striker of the same stature and efficiency.

His eye for goal and smart positioning add credence to the comparisons, as Ukraine U21s coach Dmytro Mykhailenko said two years ago: "I think Artem imitates Haaland's game, and the Norwegian is his model. Stepanov is very similar to Erling in terms of body size, coordination, and speed; he even has a hairstyle similar to the Norwegian. Artem is very talented, physically gifted, has good technique, and an understanding of attacking play."

Like Haaland, Stepanov is well-liked, developing a reputation for being "the group clown", as team-mate Didden told De Telegraaf. "He looks the part, too. I don't need his barber's number! He's a really nice guy with a great sense of humour. Ukrainian humour. He's a bit foul-mouthed, and together with [Spanish winger] Angel Alarcon, he makes himself heard in the limited English they speak. That alone is funny."

Stepanov broke down in tears on the pitch after sustaining his injury against Feyenoord, possibly already aware that his debut for Ukraine would have to be delayed. It was a heart-breaking setback for a rising star who boasted that he was eager to return home to "show them what I can do".

"I knew I had to be there," he said of the call-up. "You know, I know where I have to be. I know I have to be in the national team because I’m doing my job very well right now and I’m going to continue to do it."

With his attitude, his form, and his many strengths, Stepanov’s trajectory points only upward. The dream of a senior international cap has only been put on hold. Whether he eventually fires Bayer Leverkusen to glory or continues lighting up the Eredivisie, the striker's journey has forged a maturity beyond his years.