The race to be crowned Europe’s topscorer is heading in its final stretch, with some of the world’s most prolific forwards in Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane and others are leading the way. While there are several Golden Boots available in Europe’s top divisions, the continent’s most prolific marksman can only win one Golden Shoe in any one season.
The hunt for that famous prize is on, with certain great forwards poised to spearhead the charge for an individual honour that distinguishes them as superior to all of their fellow frontmen. Last season, Robert Lewandowski, who has moved from Bayern Munich to Barcelona, ended first with 35 league goals, closely followed by Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, and Ciro Immobile.
However, there’s a new name leading the charts this time, and to no surprise, it is Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. The striker joined Pep Guardiola’s team last summer from Borussia Dortmund, and is feasting on the inch-perfect passes fed to him by the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and a talented City side. Erling Haaland is worlds apart of his fellow competitors for the Golden Shoe.
Here are the top-5 candidates in the fray for the coveted individual honor:
Erling Haaland – 32 goals (Manchester City)
Manchester City knew what they were getting when they signed Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with the Norwegian striker boasting plenty of power and pace, and one of the world’s most sought-after talents did not disappoint when bursting out of the blocks for the Premier League champions.
Haaland has so far racked up 32 goals in just 28 games in his maiden English top flight season, and has already smashed a few records. His 32 strikes include an incredible 4 hat-tricks and 5 braces. Also, Erling Haaland is just three goals away from breaking the record and setting a new one for most goals in a single Premier League season, currently held jointly by the Alan Shearer and Andy Cole (34).
Harry Kane – 23 (Tottenham Hotspur)
England captain Harry Kane has earned a reputation as one of the most feared No.9s in the world, with the Tottenham forward fully deserving of that status as a three-time Golden Boot winner with over 180 Premier League goals to his name. He has continued his Midas touch, netting a brilliant 23 goals this campaign.
However, this number would have been sitting atop of the Premier League scoring charts, until before the arrival of Erling Haaland. The Norwegian has made Kane’s total of 23 look like an under-achievement with his stunning 32 goals for title contenders City. Nonetheless, Kane will have his pride in having scored 20+ goals in six of his last nine Premier League campaigns.
Kylian Mbappe – 22 goals (Paris Saint-Germain)
In a season filled with chaos, Kylian Mbappe has still managed 22 goals in Ligue 1. The Frenchman made a lot of headlines away from the football pitch, with his fallouts with teammates Leo Messi and Neymar being one of those. However, he has carried out his usual exploits on the pitch, netting surplus goals for the Parisians as they look to claim a second Ligue 1 title in a row.
And meanwhile, the title of finest player in the world may suddenly be up for grabs, and Mbappe appears to be the most probable candidate to fill the shoes once filled by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, considering his achievements for Paris Saint-Germain and as a World Cup champion with France. But Erling Haaland is neither far away from claiming the title.
Victor Osimhen – 21 goals (Napoli)
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has been a key component in Napoli’s winning streak this season. The 24-year-old has had his share of fitness concerns, but when available, he is a powerful game-changer, and Osimhen is in line to fire Napoli to the Scudetto if he can avoid injuries.
On the other hand, Osimhen will also be bracing up for a summer move, as the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich are all interested in snapping him up. While Napoli are determined to keep their prized asset as well, Osimhen could look to move on after the Naples side’s failure to capitalise on their brilliant form in the Champions League, bowing out of the quarterfinals at the hands of AC Milan.
Jonathan David – 20 goals (Lille)
Jonathan David’s stock has been rising for some time, and with Canada’s qualifying for the 2022 World Cup on the horizon, it is just a matter of time before the speedy forward stretches his wings outside of Ligue 1. The 23-year-old David just made history by being the first North American player to score 20 goals in a season in Ligue 1. David has 20 goals and four assists in 30 games this season in the French top flight.
With David in such good form this season, it’s no surprise that he’s been linked with a number of clubs. David has been identified as a prospective target for Bayern Munich, according to SportsMole. The Germans are hunting for a striker to replace Robert Lewandowski. Meanwhile, according to MD, Real Madrid may look for another striker this summer, and that player may be Lille’s Jonathan David, to replace their own Karim Benzema.