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There are a lot of goalscorers we are going to watch in the World Cup Russia 2018, all of them play in Europe at the highest stage and now they are ready to lead their countries to the trophy as well as the Golden Boot award will be a remarkable accomplishment for any footballer.
James Rodríguez is the most recent World Cup Golden Boot winner with six goals in 2014 to help Colombia to reach its first Quarter-finals appearance in a World Cup. Being the top scorer also means a transfer to a world-class team as Rodíguez secured a spot with Real Madrid after scoring the goal of the tournament against Uruguay in the Round of 16.
The all-time goalscoring leader is the German Miroslav Klose with 16, while the Frenchman Just Fontaine holds the record as the top goalscorer a single World Cup with 13 goals.
The difference between a good goalscorer and a great goalscorer is that the second one tries to aid the team to win championships and not only focuses on the spotlight.
Many strikers make scoring look easy but it is harder than most people think, so here we have the list of the players who can finish as the top scorers in Russia 2018:
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
The all-time goalscorer leader in UEFA Champions League history is ready to conquer the world with Portugal after winning the Euro 2016. But he also is a strong candidate to end up as the top scorer in Russia.
Ronaldo netted 44 times in 44 matches this season, including 15 in the UEFA Champions League to secure his seventh straight season scoring 40 o more goals.
Ronaldo has scored two international goals in 2018, in the 2-1 friendly win against Egypt on March 23. Russia will be the best opportunity he will have to prove he is one of the greatest players ever. He is a real candidate to finish as the goalscorer leader in the World Cup because he has the killer instinct to destroy every opponent.
He is also the all-time top scorer of Portugal with 81 goals in 150 caps since his international debut in 2003.
Cristiano, a 33-year-old player, will be Portugal's first option and he showed a great physical condition in Portugal's training session on Thursday at the Fisht Olympic Stadium.
The Real Madrid's star appears to be at his peak after showing his hamstring muscles in the training session heading the first match of Portugal against Spain on Friday 15th. Ronaldo seems he will not have any concern about his physicality in the World Cup after suffering numerous injuries in the past and missing the Euro final due to a grade 1 anterior cruciate ligament sprain in his left knee.
#2 Lionel Messi
Messi led Europe in scoring this recently ended season with 45 goals in all competition which included three "hat-trick" and one haul for him.
The 5-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored 643 official goals for club and country in 816 total matches. The Argentinean earned the "Pichichi" award for the fifth time in his career as the top scorer in Spain in 2017/18 season with 34 goals with Barcelona.
The Argentinean is without a doubt a candidate to earn the Golden Boot as he has netted 64 times in 124 international games and this year he has scored three goals with his national squad.
Messi has scored five times in the World Cup in three participations but failed to score in South Africa 2010. He has the responsibility to guide Argentina to the trophy after the collapse in 2014's final against Germany.
As long as Messi he keeps healthy Argentina will show up and the 30-year-old forward plans to retire of his national squad if the team underperforms in Russia. Messi suffered muscle soreness entering 2018 but right now he is ready to represent his country in the most important event of the year.
#3 Neymar
The Brazilian striker managed to recover from a broken foot that ended his first season with Paris Saint-Germain.
Still, Neymar scored in all competitions before his injury, making 19 goals in France Ligue 1, six goals in seven games in the UEFA Champions League, scored twice in Coupe de France and netted once in Coupe de la Ligue for a total of 28 goals scored in his first European season in France.
The 26-year-old player also has 55 goals in 85 international appearances and in 2018 he has two goals in friendly games. If Neymar is injury free in the World Cup, he is going to be a threat and possibly the top scorer of the event.
Neymar returned to action for the first time since February in the 2-0 friendly win against Croatia on June 3.
The Brazilian scored the first goal but scared the fans around the world after being hurt by Šime Vrsaljko in the first half. Hopefully, the hurt was just a scare and he recovered instantly.
The 26-year-old seems like he has never injured and is ready to lead Brazil to its sixth ever World Cup title.
#4 Harry Kane
The 24-year-old striker put an incredible show this season with Tottenham that made him the second best forward in England and gaining attention from Real Madrid.
Now the Englishman aims to captain his national team to their first major World Cup trophy since 1966, although, if England does not win the World Cup, Kane’s proficiency in goalscoring can put him at the top scorers in Russia.
The Englishman is a prolific scorer who netted 41 times across all competitions for the Spurs this season and finished second in the English Premier League top goalscorers table with 30 goals.
Kane has accumulated 13 goals in 25 international games since his debut with "The Lions" in 2015 but will go for more of it in Russia.
Last month Englan team feared for Kane's form after coming back from an ankle injury.
The striker suffered an ankle ligament damage in March that kept him out for three weeks this season with Tottenham. But at this moment, Kane is fully recovered and already set to captain England to the trophy.
#5 Edinson Cavani
The Uruguayan Edinson Cavani concluded as the top scorer in France Ligue 1 with 28 goals. But not only that, he ended the European season as the seventh best goalscorer with 41 in total.
Cavani is Neymar's teammate at PSG, and they formed a lethal attacking duo that terrified Europe before the Brazilian’s injury.
The Uruguayan ended as the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers top goalscorer with 10 goals in 15 games.
Cavani is a skillful forward who desires to lead his country to a great run in Russia after a second place ending in the South American qualification. He has scored 42 goals in 100 caps with Uruguay, including two international goals in 2018.
The Uruguayan has to be at his peak if Uruguay desires to win its third World Cup trophy.
Cavani missed just one game this season because of a hip problem in February that left him four days out of the team's training. That was the first injury the Uruguayan suffered since 2014, and he is fit enough to claim the Golden Boot in Russia.
#6 Luis Suárez
Suárez is a striker who annihilates the goalkeepers when is facing face-to-face and is a constant headache to the defenders.
The Uruguayan netted 31 times in the 2017/18 season with Barcelona, which was his lowest scoring season since he is playing in Spain.
Anyhow, Suarez has always had that killer instinct that allows him to understand the game like no other striker in the world. He is Uruguay's all-time leading goalscorer with 52 goals in 98 appearances and will be Cavani's partner in the attacking side in the World Cup.
Suárez has five total goals scored in the World Cup event, making three in 2010 World Cup and featuring twice in Brazil 2014 tournament.
Suárez had knee problems at the start of the last season but only missed two games.
The Uruguayan is no longer in injury concerns and will battle against his teammate, Edinson Cavani for the Golden Boot in the World Cup.
#7 Mohamed Salah
Arguably the best player in the English Premier League this season, Salah can guide Egypt to a magical World Cup run. "The Pharaoh" scored 44 times in the 2017/18 season with Liverpool, including a Premier League record of 32 goals.
Liverpool ended as the UEFA Champions League runners-up following their 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid. In the final, Madrid's defender Sergio Ramos injured Salah after a tangle in the first-half.
Salah was clear and ready to play after he needed a three-week recovery and his presence against Uruguay in Egypt's Group A opener on June 15th was in doubt.
If he stays healthy, he will demolish every team on his way in Russia after terrorizing Europe for this past season.
Salah could finish as the top goalscorer in the World Cup but still is uncertain if he is 100% recovered of his shoulder.
Egyptians hope Salah injury stated as just a scare and doesn’t affect the performance of one of the best striker at the moment. A great Egypt run could assure Salah not only the World Cup Golden Boot but also his first Ballon d’Or.
#8 Robert Lewandowski
Poland might not be a candidate to win the World Cup, but Lewandowski is definitely in the list of the best forwards.
Lewandowski led the Bundesliga 2017/18 season with 29 goals and 41 in total in all competitions. Lewandowski completed his third consecutive season scoring 41 o more goals and this year he surpassed the 100 goals barrier with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
Lewandowski is the all-time top scorer of his country with 55 goals in 90 appearances since his international debut in 2008. He scored 16 goals in Poland's World Cup qualification, a record for a European World Cup qualifier, including three "Hat-trick" in the run.
Lewandowski will lead Poland in their first participation in a World Cup since 2006 and will be the best hope for his country.
Lewandowski suffered three different problems this season, including a patella and knee injury that kept him away from the team for 21 days but still managed to miss just one game with Bayern.
The 29-year-old is a scoring machine ready to fight for the Golden Boot in Russia.
#9 Antoine Griezmann
The Atletico Madrid's striker can be the surprising goalscorer leader of the meeting in Russia if he maintains in great form. The 27-year-old Frenchman prepares all his skills to show up in the World Cup he is one of the best players on the planet.
Griezmann has 20 goals in 54 international caps with France since his debut with "Les Bleus" in 2014. This season with Atlético Madrid he scored 29 goals in total, including two goals in the 3-0 victory in the UEFA Europe League finals against Marseille.
Griezzman secured his fourth straight 25-goalscorers season and his outstanding performance generated links with Barcelona at the end of the season, but the Frenchman is focusing on score important goals for his national squad and bring the trophy back to France.
The Frenchman has played all year long after missing one game in December due to a hamstring injury. Although, Griezmann is a legitimate threat for every defensive system he is going to face in the World Cup.
#10 James Rodriguez
The Colombian international is the most recent Golden Boot for the FIFA World Cup with a tournament-leader six goals.
In his first appearance in a World Cup, he scored the goal of the tournament in the Round of 16 games versus Uruguay from outside the box that secured his contract with Real Madrid a the time.
Rodríguez became the tenth South American player who finished in the top goalscorers list in a World Cup, and only the first Colombian to do so.
James has netted 21 times in 62 caps with Colombia since his debut with "Los Cafeteros" in 2011.
He scored 8 goals in the 2017/18 season with Bayern Munich, including his 100th official career club goal in the 2-0 win over FSV Mainz 05 this year.
The Colombian suffered five different injury problems and missed eight games this season but still found a way to maintain his form and help Bayern win the Bundesliga.
James is a player who can carry his team if they need it, so he could become the goalscorer when Colombia finds in trouble.
