The race for European football's most prestigious individual scoring award, the Golden Shoe, is reaching its dramatic conclusion with Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres currently leading the pack.
Gyokeres, who has been linked with a potential summer move to Arsenal, has netted an impressive 39 goals in Portugal's Primeira Liga, giving him 58.5 points in the weighted scoring system used to determine the winner.
However, with one match remaining in their respective leagues, Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe (58 points) and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (56 points) still have opportunities to overtake the Swedish striker and claim the coveted award.
What is the Golden Shoe?
The Golden Shoe, also known as the European Golden Boot, is awarded to the leading goalscorer in league matches from the top division of European national leagues. The award operates on a weighted-points system where goals scored in Europe's top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1) count for two points each.
Goals from leagues ranked sixth to 22nd in UEFA's coefficient, including Portugal's Primeira Liga where Gyokeres plays, are worth 1.5 points. Goals from lower-ranked European leagues count as one point each.
The Contenders
Current leader Viktor Gyokeres could become the first player outside Europe's top five leagues to win the award since 2002. With his season already concluded, he can only watch as his rivals make their final push.
Kylian Mbappe needs just one goal in Real Madrid's final game against Real Sociedad on Saturday to surpass Gyokeres. Meanwhile, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah requires at least two goals against Crystal Palace on Sunday to have any chance of claiming the prize.
Last year's winner, Harry Kane, who became only the second Englishman to win the award, will relinquish his crown after finishing the Bundesliga season with 26 goals (52 points), placing him fourth in the standings.
Historical Context
Since its introduction nearly 60 years ago, the Golden Shoe has been dominated by football's greatest talents. Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi holds the record with six Golden Shoe awards, while Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed the prize four times.
Portuguese legend Eusebio was the first recipient in 1968 after scoring 42 goals for Benfica. Ian Rush became the first player from an English club to win when he scored 32 times for Liverpool in the 1983-84 season.
The current points-based system was introduced in the 1996-97 season, with Brazilian striker Ronaldo becoming the first winner under these rules after scoring 34 goals (68 points) for Barcelona.
With the 2024-25 season drawing to a close, football fans around the world will be watching closely as this thrilling three-way battle for European football's top scoring honor reaches its conclusion this weekend.
