European Golden Shoe winners | FourFourTwo

January 1, 2025

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First awarded in 1968, the European Golden Shoe honours the continent’s final goalscorer every season.

Since 1997, the winner of the prize has been calculated utilizing a factors system which locations higher emphasis on Europe’s hardest leagues.

Right here, we take you thru every recipient of the European Golden Shoe between that change and 2024…

Ronaldo – 1997

Ronaldo of Barcelona, 1997

Ronaldo pictured in 1997 (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)

The ‘authentic’ Ronaldo loved the one most prolific season of his profession in 1996/97, scoring 47 objectives in 49 video games for Barcelona – together with 34 in 37 LaLiga outings.

It proved to be R9’s solely marketing campaign with Barca, however the Brazilian icon actually left his mark, firing Bobby Robson’s aspect to victory within the Copa del Rey and Cup Winners’ Cup.

Nikos Machlas – 1998

Nikos Machlas playing for Vitesse Arnhem in 1998

Nikos Machlas taking part in for Vitesse Arnhem in 1998 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Greek worldwide Nikos Machlas was completely on fireplace in 1997/98, racking up 34 objectives in 32 league appearances for Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem.

In doing so, Machlas, who went on to play for Ajax, turned Greece’s first European Golden Shoe winner and the primary from the Eredivisie since Marco van Basten 12 years earlier.

Mario Jardel – 1999, 2002

Mario Jardel playing for Sporting, October 2001

Mario Jardel taking part in for Sporting in 2001 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Whereas he by no means discovered his capturing boots for Brazil, Mario Jardel was a fully immense goalscoring pressure for a string of golf equipment, amongst them Porto and Sporting.

He gained his first European Golden Shoe after netting 36 instances in 32 league video games en path to a 3rd straight Portuguese title with the previous, then claimed the award once more with 42 objectives in simply 30 league appearances for the latter (okay, 17 had been penalties, however nonetheless).

Kevin Phillips – 2000

Sunderland's Kevin Phillips with the 1999/2000 Premier League Golden Boot award

Kevin Phillips with the 1999/2000 Premier League Golden Boot award (Picture credit score: Alamy)

The primary English recipient of the European Golden Shoe, Kevin Phillips fired Sunderland to seventh within the Premier League in 1999/2000.

Having struck 52 instances for the Black Cats throughout every of the 2 earlier league campaigns within the second tier, Phillips evidently knew the place the web was – however nobody might have foreseen his 30-goal return in his maiden top-flight season, as he fashioned a supremely efficient ‘little and huge’ partnership with Nial Quinn.

Henrik Larsson celebrates after scoring for Celtic against Rangers, August 2000

Henrik Larsson celebrates after scoring for Celtic towards Rangers, August 2000 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Arguably Scottish soccer’s greatest-ever import, Henrik Larsson scored 35 of his 174 league objectives for Celtic throughout a memorable 2000/01 season.

The prolific Swede spearheaded the Bhoys’ cost to the title, averaging nearly a purpose a recreation, hitting two hat-tricks and discovering the web in three out of 4 Outdated Agency derbies.

Roy Makaay – 2003

Roy Makaay playing for Deportivo La Coruna against Racing Santander, March 2003

Roy Makaay taking part in for Deportivo La Coruna towards Racing Santander, March 2003 (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)

Roy Makaay’s 29 LaLiga objectives in 2002/03 ensured that the Pichichi Trophy, awarded the main scorer within the Spanish prime flight, went to a Deportivo La Coruna participant for the second marketing campaign operating – having been gained by Makaay’s teammate Diego Tristan the yr earlier than.

The scientific Dutchman was on track 39 instances in all competitions all through the season, incomes himself an enormous transfer to Bayern Munich in the summertime of 2003.

Thierry Henry – 2004, 2005 (shared)

Thierry Henry celebrates after scoring for Arsenal against Leicester City on the final day of the 2003/04 Premier League season

Thierry Henry celebrates after scoring for Arsenal towards Leicester on the ultimate day of the 2003/04 Premier League season (Picture credit score: Alamy)

It’s actually no shock that Thierry Henry, Premier League Golden Boot winner 4 instances between 2002 and 2006, bought his fingers on a pair of European Golden Sneakers.

Arsenal’s elegant French frontman claimed the prize outright with 30 league objectives in the course of the 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ marketing campaign, as Arsene Wenger’s Gunners gained the title unbeaten; he then shared it with Diego Forlan after netting 25 instances in 2004/05.

Diego Forlan – 2005 (shared), 2009

Diego Forlan celebrates after scoring for Villarreal against Real Mallorca, March 2005

Diego Forlan celebrates after scoring for Villarreal towards Actual Mallorca, March 2005 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Uruguayan legend Diego Forlan picked up the European Golden Shoe whereas taking part in for 2 completely different golf equipment.

The versatile centre-forward shared the honour with Thierry Henry in 2005, having notched 25 objectives in his first season at Villarreal, earlier than having all of it to himself by putting 32 instances in 33 LaLiga outings for Atletico Madrid in 2008/09.

Luca Toni – 2006

Luca Toni celebrates after scoring for Fiorentina against Udinese, September 2005

Luca Toni celebrates after scoring for Fiorentina towards Udinese, September 2005 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

One of many final nice goal males, Luca Toni was, in his prime, among the many most formidable strikers in Europe.

And 2006 proved to be the standout yr of his profession, as he scooped the European Golden Shoe following a 31-goal debut marketing campaign for Fiorentina in Serie A – earlier than successful the World Cup with Italy.

Francesco Totti – 2007

Francesco Totti celebrates after scoring for Roma against Sampdoria, April 2007

Francesco Totti celebrates after scoring for Roma towards Sampdoria, April 2007 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

The award stayed in Italy in 2007, and this time it went to Roma icon Francesco Totti – who, aged 30, posted a career-best return of 26 Serie A objectives.

Whereas not historically an out-and-out centre-forward, Il Capitano had transitioned to the position by the 2006/07 season, and his attacking exploits had been essential to Roma ending second within the league beneath Luciano Spalletti.

Cristiano Ronaldo – 2008, 2011, 2014 (shared), 2015

Cristiano Ronaldo kisses the European Golden Shoe award, 2008

Cristiano Ronaldo kisses the European Golden Shoe award, 2008 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Unquestionably some of the formidable goalscorers the sport has ever seen, Cristiano Ronaldo gained the European Golden Shoe whereas taking part in for Manchester United and Actual Madrid.

The legendary Portugal captain netted a minimum of 31 instances on every of the 4 events that he claimed the award (which he shared with Luis Suarez in 2014), bagging a whopping 48 LaLiga objectives within the 2014/15 marketing campaign.

Lionel Messi – 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring for Barcelona against Granada, March 2012

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring for Barcelona towards Granada, March 2012 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Of course Lionel Messi was the primary participant to win the European Golden Shoe thrice – and he ended up doubling that complete.

The GOAT collected all six of his awards as a Barcelona participant, peaking with a document 50 LaLiga objectives in 2011/12 (a season during which Barca didn’t even win the title!) – when he discovered the web 73 instances in all competitions.

Luis Suarez – 2014 (shared), 2016

Luis Suarez with the European Golden Shoe award, 2016

Luis Suarez with the European Golden Shoe award, 2016 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

In his final season at Liverpool, Luis Suarez equalled the document for probably the most objectives in a 38-game Premier League marketing campaign, registering 31 instances as he fashioned a profitable strike partnership with Daniel Strurridge and sharing the European Golden Shoe with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Two years later, the tenacious Uruguayan was the only winner, hitting the 40-mark in LaLiga for Barcelona, the place he starred as one prong of the ‘MSN’ entrance three alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Ciro Motionless – 2020

Ciro Immobile celebrates after scoring for Lazio against Parma, September 2019

Ciro Motionless celebrates after scoring for Lazio towards Parma, September 2019 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Ciro Motionless amassed 169 Serie A objectives throughout an eight-season spell at Lazio, peaking with a usually prolific 36 in 37 appearances within the 2019/20 marketing campaign.

In doing so, the ex-Torino frontman collected his third capocannoniere award as Serie A’s main marksman and have become the third Italian recipient of the European Golden Shoe.

Robert Lewandowski – 2021, 2022

Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring for Bayern Munich against Greuther Furth, February 2022

Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring for Bayern Munich towards Greuther Furth, February 2022 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Poland’s greatest participant of all time, Robert Lewandowski scored for enjoyable in neighbouring Germany for a few years – most notable for Bayern Munich.

With 41 objectives in 29 Bundesliga outings in 2020/21, he turned the primary European Golden Shoe winner from the German prime flight since Gerd Muller in 1970 – and he went and retained the honour by bagging 35 in 34 the next season.

Erling Haaland – 2023

Manchester City's Erling Haaland with the 2022/23 Premier League Golden Boot award

Erling Haaland with the 2022/23 Premier League Golden Boot award (Picture credit score: Alamy)

As debut seasons go, Erling Haaland’s first in England wasn’t too shabby: he broke Andy Cole’s document for probably the most objectives in a Premier League marketing campaign by discovering the web 36 instances in 35 video games for Manchester Metropolis.

The machine-like Norwegian helped himself to 4 hat-tricks as Pep Guardiola’s aspect claimed a 3rd straight title, together with back-to-back ones in solely his fifth and sixth appearances for the membership.

Harry Kane – 2024

Harry Kane with the European Golden Shoe award, 2024

Harry Kane with the European Golden Shoe award, 2024 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Virtually 1 / 4 of a century after Kevin Phillips turned England’s first European Golden Shoe winner, Harry Kane picked up the prize off the again of a stellar first season for Bayern Munich.

The England skipper scored 36 objectives in 32 Bundesliga outings, hitting 4 hat-tricks – together with two in succession in thrashings of Darmstadt and Bayern’s arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund.

European Golden Shoe winners | FourFourTwo

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