Top 5 contenders for the 2019-20 European Golden Boot award

Lionel Messi receiving Golden Shoe award
Lionel Messi receiving Golden Shoe award

With football cautiously returning as the Covid-19 pandemic crisis settles, discussions have been raised about the potential winner - as well as contenders - of the European Golden Boot.

Last year, the highly coveted award was won by Lionel Messi as he brilliantly churned in goal after goal to stay one step ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Fabio Quagliarella. Playing in a more creative role so far this season, the Argentine star has fallen behind in the contender's list for the 2019-20 season. However, other contenders will remain wary about Messi's goalscoring capability, which saw him pick up three Golden Boot awards in a row.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the top 5 contenders for this season's European Golden Boot.

Honourable mention: Lionel Messi (19 goals - 38 points)

With 19 league goals so far, Messi has some way to go to retain his crown.
With 19 league goals so far, Messi has some way to go to retain his crown.

Compared to other contenders, Messi has fallen short this year. However, he remains very much capable of picking up the pace and banging in goals once the La Liga restarts in less than two weeks.

So far, the current Golden Boot winner has scored 19 goals in all competitions and might enter into the top 5 within the next couple of games.

#5 Cristiano Ronaldo (21 goals - 42 points)

Ronaldo last won the coveted Boot in 2015, and he'll be itching to add it to his silverware again.
Ronaldo last won the coveted Boot in 2015, and he'll be itching to add it to his silverware again.

The 35-year-old star has shown no signs of slowing down during his second season with the Italian giants. So far, he has knocked in 21 goals in only 22 Serie A matches, and that sets him up as a serious contender for the Golden Boot this season.

With the Serie A returning in less than 20 days, Cristiano Ronaldo will revisit the opportunity to take this coveted award away from Lionel Messi's grasp.

#4 Erling Haaland (26 goals - 44 points)

The teenage sensation has been unstoppable for Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg this season.
The teenage sensation has been unstoppable for Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg this season.

At the beginning of the season, few people foresaw a European Golden Boot with the 19-year-old's name engraved. However, against all odds and beyond any expectations, Haaland has become one of the most prolific strikers on the continent this season.

Scoring 16 goals for Red Bull Salzburg before his Borussia Dortmund move mid-season, Haaland added 24 points to his name on the list. Now at Dortmund, and with 10 goals already, the young star sits ahead of Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

#3 Timo Werner (25 goals - 50 points)

Werner has been in brilliant form with RB Leipzig.
Werner has been in brilliant form with RB Leipzig.

Werner came into the limelight when he passed the 20 goal mark in the 2016-17 campaign. In subsequent years, he didn't hit that record again, at least until now. Still, in this current campaign, the 24-year-old marksman has already scored 25 goals - including a goal against FC Koln yesterday.

Six points ahead of his nearest competitor, Timo Werner can set his sights to overtake the most clinical strikers of this season and push for his first Golden Boot win.

#2 Ciro Immobile (27 goals - 54 points)

Lazio's relentless goal machine: Ciro Immobile
Lazio's relentless goal machine: Ciro Immobile

For the former Dortmund star, this campaign could trump the 2017-18 season when he picked up 29 goals in just 33 league appearances. Currently, Immobile is sitting strong in second place with 27 goals (from a shocking 26 games!) to his name.

The European Golden Boot has eluded him on a few occasions before, but this time, the 30-year-old is near to the top of the rankings and has a strong chance of coming out on top.

#1 Robert Lewandowski (29 goals - 58 points)

Set to hit 30 league goals this season, Lewandowski has an eye for scoring.
Set to hit 30 league goals this season, Lewandowski has an eye for scoring.

It doesn't come as a surprise or shock that the Polish international is currently leading the race for the European Golden Boot. He's been a highly clinical striker in the last five Bundesliga campaigns and has consistently scored more than 20 league goals every season since 2015.

This campaign, he'll be looking to surpass his 30-goal record, and it wouldn't be too difficult considering he's already hit 29. Lewandowski can go on to pick up his first European Golden Boot if he continues his brilliant form.

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