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The UEFA Champions League, Europe's most coveted football competition has resumed explosively this season, and it has been nothing short of entertainment as top attackers continue to impress with their incredible records in front of goal in the European tournament.
The race for the Champions League Golden Shoe began with so much intensity as early as matchday 1, with some attackers stepping up and firing their teams in front of goal as well as putting themselves in decent positions to fight for the prestigious prize. Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Shoe with his 15 goals in the tournament last season, and he also became the first superstar to win the award in 6 consecutive years.
However, having started the competition on a slow note and finding the back of the net just once after 4 matchdays, the Portuguese has found himself trailing behind a host of superstars on the top scorer's chart, and he looks unlikely to defend the honor this season.
Therefore, we take a look at 5 superstars who could step up and beat the attacker to the accolade during the campaign:
#5 Neymar
One of the most talented attackers on the continent right now, Paris Saint Germain winger Neymar Junior, is one of the few superstars who could pip Juventus sharpshooter Cristiano Ronaldo to the coveted UEFA Champions League Golden Shoe this season - thanks to his incredible exploits in front of goal since the tournament began this term.
The Brazilian has been at an incredible level in the competition, combining his incredible pace and amazing dribbling skills to split opposition defenses apart as well as making goalscoring look like a routine with his unbelievable finishing skills.
Neymar has recorded an amazing 3 goals to his name in the European tournament this season - proving his incredible talent in front of goal once again as well as placing himself in a decent position to fight for the Champions League Golden Shoe during the term.
#4 Paulo Dybala
In an open year where the likes of Luka Modric, Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Mohamed Salah have all been tipped to overtake Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on top of the football world, many superstars will be looking forward to beating the duo to major individual awards, with one of them being Juventus ace, Paulo Dybala who is currently one of the top contenders for the Champions League Golden Shoe this term.
The Argentine has been one of the most prolific attackers in the UEFA Champions League so far this season, having bagged an amazing 4 goals for Juventus in the European tournament so far and doing that in just a total of 258 minutes on the pitch.
With Dybala in the same team as Cristiano Ronaldo, it will be really interesting to see if he could pip the Portuguese to the Champions League Golden Shoe this season. With such an impressive start, the Argentine still has a huge advantage over his new teammate in the race to the award.
#3 Robert Lewandowski
Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have not been at their best ever since the beginning of the season, having failed to produce the quality of results they are well known for so far during the term. But that has not stopped their hitman, Robert Lewandowski, from impressing in front of goal, especially in the UEFA Champions League.
The Polish International has been one of the deadliest attackers in the European tournament this season, combining his incredible movement and amazing finishing skills to fire his team in front of goal and keep their qualification hopes intact in the Group E.
The former Borussia Dortmund striker has recorded a whopping 4 goals to his name in just 4 Champions League appearances for the Bavarians this season and with such an incredible statistic, he is also among the few superstars who could beat Juventus talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to the Champions League Golden Shoe, come to the end of the campaign.
#2 Edin Dzeko
Roma striker, Edin Dzeko was one of the top goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League during the previous campaign, recording an incredible 8 goals to his name in 12 appearances and running riot on his way to leading the Giallorossi to the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in many years.
The Bosnian International has returned into the European tournament in a scintillating form this season, finding the back of the net a whopping 5 times in 4 games and establishing himself as one of the deadliest finishers on the continent at the moment.
Edin Dzeko has been a huge force in front of goal in the Champions League this term, giving opposition defenders a very tough time whenever he finds himself in the box and making goal scoring look very easy with his incredible finishing. If the attacker continues with his blazing form in the competition, there is no doubt he has a great chance to Cristiano Ronaldo to the Golden Shoe.
#1 Lionel Messi
If there is any superstar who actually has a huge chance of beating Juventus ace Cristiano Ronaldo to the Champions League Golden Shoe this season, then it has to be Barcelona maestro, Lionel Messi.
The two football legends have been the most consistent performers in the European tournament for the past 10 years and they are well known to each other when it comes to fighting for major accolades.
But having watched his Portuguese counterpart going home with the Champions League Golden Shoe in each of the past few years, the Argentine playmaker has come all-out this season with a great determination to end his rival's European dominance and he has taken to the pitch to prove that he truly means business this time.
Messi has been the most impressive attacker in Europe so far this term, tearing opposition defenses apart and displaying his incredible talent in front of goal. He has an incredible 5 goals to his name in just 2 appearances in the Champions League and he is well on track to finish above his eternal rival on the goalscoring chart come the end of the term.
