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Champions across the major European leagues have been crowned as we pull the plug on yet another spellbinding season. What remains now is the finals of the Champions League, set to be played out on the 6th of June.
While the vicissitudes of the leagues en route to the climax have left us fretting on our seats, the race for the coveted Golden Boot too, was the one to watch out for.
So here we enlist the 10 most prolific goalscorers in Europe for the 2014/15.
Note: Players with the same amount of goals have been segregated by their goal/game ratio.
10. Jackson Martinez (FC Porto) – 21 goals
The man who was a thorn in Bayern Munich’s pursuit of the Champions League and almost knocked them out, Jackson Martinez was just as much terrific in the league for the Dragons en route to their runners-up finish to Benfica.
With Ricardo Quaresma and Yacine Brahimi orchestrating right behind him, the Colombian was on an impressive scoring spree and put up a dazzling performance that has left some big guns of Europe clamouring for his services.
In 30 league appearances, Martinez accrued 21 goals, the highest in Portugal and 10th in Europe.
9. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) – 21 goals
The rise of Harry Kane from the abyss of obscurity to a constant headline grabber has been nothing short of phenomenal. After a few loan spells and starting the season merely as a ‘cup player', Kane burst onto the scene against West Ham back in November when he scored the winning goal at the Boleyn Ground. What followed, was simply startling.
The 21-year old would go on to add 20 more strikes to his name in the league thereby becoming one of the most lethal strikers in the Premier League. His performances against Chelsea and Arsenal were the highlight of what was, a fairytale season for him. His rich vein of form earned him his first ever England call-up which would later be followed by the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
One of the most talented youngsters currently plying their trade in England, he's the one to watch out for in the next season.
8. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) – 22 goals
Shipped in from Liga rivals Real Sociedad to fill the boots of Chelsea bound Diego Costa, Antoine Griezmann has proved to be one of the signings of the season.
The Frenchman had a terrific debut season with the Madrid outfit, bagging 21 goals in the league, 25 in all competitions and a solitary assist. He also forged a great partnership with another summer recruit, Mario Mandzukic, upfront.
While Griezmann may have failed to win titles with his new employers, at least individually, he had a season to remember.
7. Neymar (Barcelona) – 22 goals
What a season it has been for the Barcelona ace! Admonished for his poor showings in his debut season, which also coincided with Barcelona's trophyless spell, Neymar has improved tenfold this time around and has taken his game to an all new level.
Preferred on his much preferred left wing after Luis Suarez’s arrival, the Brazilian thrived in his new position under Luis Enrique and has conjured the magical form he usually does when with Brazil.
With the experienced colleagues in Suarez and Lionel Messi alongside, Neymar has only grown in stature and his sublime traits in front of goal has contributed massively in the treble-chasing Barcelona's highly successful campaign.
6. Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) – 26 goals
Long injury lay-offs were not jeopardizing enough for Manchester City’s vicious striker Sergio Aguero, who took home the Premier League Golden Boot for finishing as the league's top scorer with 26 strikes.
The Argentine was the sole bright spot in the City side that relinquished their league crown and paid the price for being overly reliant on him when they ended the season without any silverware to parade.
The only other EPL representative in the list, Sergio Aguero amassed his career-best tally of 32 goals in all competitions and will be gunning for a tweak in that figure next season, if he's finishes it unscathed.
5. Alexandre Lacazette (Olympique Lyon) – 27 goals
Although Hubert Fournier’s Lyon weren't able to cling on to the top spot in Ligue 1, it was nevertheless, a great season for them, spearheaded by their boisterous forward Alexandre Lacazette.
The Frenchman was on a hot streak for Les Gones and struck 27 times in the domestic campaign. His smashing performances also earned him the ‘Ligue 1 Player of the season’ award.
It will be really intriguing to see if Lyon can resist the interests of some of the big names of European football in the 23-year old this summer.
4. Eran Zahavi (Maccabi Tel Aviv) – 28 goals
Now this one's an oddball inclusion. We are not familiar to seeing names which aren't playing in any of the top 5 leagues, but sometimes, the subordinate leagues do boast some really prolific players. Eran Zahavi is one such example.
The Israeli international was the key to his side Maccabi Tel Aviv’s triumph in the Israeli league. The fact that Zahavi alone accounted for 28 of the 53 goals the capital club scored in the league more than testifies it.
Courtesy to his brilliant proficiency in front of goal, Maccabi Tel Aviv will now compete in the 2nd qualifying round to secure a berth in the next edition of the Champions League.
3. Jonathan Soriano (Red Bull Salzburg) – 31 goals
Joining Zahavi in the upper echelons of the rankings from another subaltern league is Red Salzburg’s Jonathan Soriano, who is one of the only 3 players in Europe to cross the 30-goal mark for the season.
The Spanish native not only helped his side retain the Austrian Bundesliga title, but also emerged as the league's highest goal getter for the second year running.
2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 43 goals
No surprises here. Barcelona’s chieftain Lionel Messi was at it again this term, after a disappointing 2013/14 season, albeit, by his own standards. Having started the season in the centre of the 3 pronged attack, Messi was given a more creative role on the right to accommodate the arrival of Luis Suarez. Suffice to say, the twinkle-toed Argentine reigned supreme.
Messi featured in every minute of every league game, barring the game at Scoiedad where he was brought on at half time, but it was only since the turn of the year that he conjured his scoring best.
Having finished the first half of the season with 15 strikes, the Blaugrana No. 10 went on to add 28 to that tally since January, including the goal against Atletico Madrid in the penultimate match that sealed the league title for Barcelona.
43 goals is an impressive count by all accounts, but still wasn't good enough to fetch him his 4th Golden Boot.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 48 goals
It was Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, who usurped Messi for the coveted prize with his mammoth 48-goal haul in La Liga. The Portuguese was in the form of his life, scoring goals at a barely believable rate. Records kept tumbling, but there was simply no stopping the Ballon d’Or holder, who tore every opposition defence asunder.
The reigning Ballon d’Or winner even struck 10 goals in the Champions League, where Real’s run was halted in the semi-finals by Juventus.
Real Madrid although weren't able to build on last season’s success and ended the current one empty handed, their ebullient winger burnished his status as the world's best.
