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The European Golden Shoe is arguably one of the most prestigious individual awards in the world of football.
Given on a yearly basis to the highest goal-scorer, the award considers all European leagues before determining the final winner. Points are awarded depending on the league, with players from the top leagues receiving two points per goal.
Past recipients of this award have gone down in history as some of the best players to ever grace a football pitch. While several players have won the award, only a select few have managed to win the award more than once.
Let's take a look at five legendary players who have won the European Golden Shoe multiple times.
#5. Gerd Muller | 2 European Golden Shoes
Gerd Muller is regarded by many as the greatest-ever footballer in German history.
The German striker is one of the most legendary players to have ever worn a Bayern Munich shirt. Muller represented Bayern for 13 years between 1964-1979, making over 600 club appearances.
Muller scored a mammoth 566 goals during his time with the club, while also registering 102 assists. Despite lacking speed and height, Muller's goalscoring output was simply phenomenal.
Muller was West Germany's highest-ever goalscorer until 2014 and was also Bayern Munich's record goalscorer until last year. He has won the European Golden Shoe on two occasions.
#4. Luis Suarez | 2 European Golden Shoes
Luis Suarez is arguably the greatest striker of his generation.
The Uruguayan attacker has enjoyed an extremely successful career across the Netherlands, England and Spain, winning several individual and club trophies along the way.
Suarez's claim to fame came during his time with Liverpool, when he put up sensational numbers for the Merseyside outfit. This was followed by a move to Barcelona, where he continued to perform at a level above the rest.
Suarez is credited for being the only player to break the duopoly held by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the European Golden Shoe for almost a decade.
Suarez has won La Liga five times, four with Barcelona and once with Atletico Madrid last year. He also won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona in the 2014-15 season.
Suarez has won the European Golden Shoe award on two different occasions.
#3. Thierry Henry | 2 European Golden Shoes
Thierry Henry will forever be remembered as an Arsenal and Premier League legend.
The Frenchman spent eight successful years with the Gunners between 1999 and 2007, winning a plethora of trophies. He scored 175 Premier League goals for Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and two FA Cups.
Henry has won four Premier League Golden Boot awards, more than any other player in the league's history. Henry is also the only player to have scored over 20 goals in five consecutive seasons.
He went on to move to Barcelona in 2007, where he enjoyed more success. Henry's biggest achievement at club level was winning the sextuple with Barcelona during the 2009-10 season.
Henry was also part of the French squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 1998. Having won the European Golden Shoe for two consecutive years from 2003 to 2005, Henry is regarded by many as the Premier League's greatest-ever player.
#2. Cristiano Ronaldo | 4 European Golden Shoes
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest goalscorer in football history.
Ronaldo is certainly a household name in the football world. Boasting an incredibly successful career, Ronaldo has won pretty much every club-level trophy at least once.
Having initially burst onto the scene with Manchester United, Ronaldo's most successful period was during his subsequent move to Real Madrid. Ronaldo made 438 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring a mammoth 450 goals for the club.
Ronaldo spearheaded the side's UEFA Champions League challenge, winning four trophies in a period of just five years. He is also the only player in history to have won the Golden Boot in England, Italy and Spain.
Ronaldo has won the European Golden Shoe four times, once with Manchester United and thrice with Real Madrid. Ronaldo's achievements are plentiful and it's fair to say that he will be remembered as one of the greatest players in football history.
#1. Lionel Messi | 6 European Golden Shoes
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time.
The Argentinian made his professional debut with FC Barcelona and went on to spend 17 long and successful years with the Blaugrana. Displaying raw talent and an unparalleled understanding of the game, Messi has etched his name into football history forever.
Messi's record with Barcelona is simply stunning. He has made 778 appearances for the club, scoring an unbelievable 672 goals. He has also registered 303 assists for the club.
During his time in Spain, Messi won 10 La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cup trophies. Having also won a record seven Ballon d'Or trophies, his dominance on the world stage is simply unmatched.
Messi has won the award a record six times, becoming the only player in history to do so.
