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The European Golden Shoe is a personal recognition given to the leading goal-scorer in league matches from the top division of all of Europe's leagues. The number of goals scored is multiplied by the respective league's UEFA coefficient rankings to determine the winner.
That means, if two players have scored the same number of goals, then the winner will be the player who plays in the league having a higher ranking. Thus, goals scored in Europe's top five leagues are given priority.
It is an accolade every forward aspires to win at the beginning of each season. The award is currently held by Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who won it for a joint-record fourth time, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
The race will go down to the wire this year because we have five players who are currently tied with 24 goals and are in contention to win it. We take a closer look at the contenders and analyse their chances:
Honourable mention: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, 23 goals)
#5 Edinson Cavani (PSG)
The Argentinian is one of the best strikers in the world. He was the Serie A top scorer in 2012-13 when Napoli finished second, behind Juventus in the league. He was also the Ligue 1 top scorer last year when PSG lost out on the title to AS Monaco. Cavani also became PSG's all-time top scorer recently and has 163 goals to his name as of now at PSG.
Cavani has largely profited from Neymar's arrival this season. The two of them, along with Kylian Mbappe have been a force to be reckoned with this campaign. Cavani has scored 24 goals in 25 games this season, averaging almost a goal per match!
With the league title almost wrapped up, they would want to finish the season on a high, despite exiting early from the UEFA Champions League. The only big game remaining in the league for them is a home tie against Monaco. All-in-all, Cavani will be a strong contender this season.
#4 Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
A surprise name on the list, Immobile is a player who seems to be having one of his best ever seasons. Immobile joined Lazio in 2016 from Sevilla for a reported fee of €8.75 million. He has been a mainstay in their attack ever since and has amazingly scored 60 goals in 77 games for the club. He was the Seria A top scorer in the 2013-14 season when he was playing for Torino.
Although Lazio find themselves fourth in the league, Immobile is the league's leading goal-scorer. The Italian has a goal record exactly similar to Cavani in the league this season - 24 goals in 25 games, and will also have set his sights set on the Golden Shoe.
Lazio have important games against Roma and Inter Milan left to play, and Immobile can be the deciding factor in their quest for a top-four finish.
#3 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
To simply put it, Harry Kane has been a revelation. The striker shot to fame in the 2014-15 season when he amassed 31 goals in all competitions for Tottenham. He has scored at least 20 goals in each of the past four Premier League seasons and already has 134 goals for the club.
He won consecutive Golden Boots in the Premier League, and is on course for a hat-trick. He also finished 2017 as the leading goal-scorer in Europe's top five leagues.
This season has been no different for the 24-year-old. He has 24 goals in 28 games, averaging 0.86 goals per game in the league and as a result, Spurs are pushing for a top-four finish. They have crucial fixtures against Chelsea and City coming up and Spurs will want their main man to be firing on all cylinders.
However, the striker was substituted on Sunday following an ankle injury and reports claim that it may be something serious. Spurs and England fans will certainly hope that that is not the case and would want their star player to return quickly.
#2 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Arguably the signing of the season. Salah has taken Liverpool to another level following his arrival from Roma in 2017. The winger was loaned to Roma by Chelsea in 2015 and the move was made permanent in the following year. He scored 34 goals in two years at the club and Liverpool subsequently bought him for €42 million.
His arrival sparked fresh hopes at Liverpool. They have been one of the best offensive sides this campaign and Salah has been at the heart of it.
He has scored 32 goals in all competitions and 24 goals in 29 games in the league for the Reds this term. Although the league title is beyond reach, they find themselves in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League and are still fighting for a top-four finish in the league.
Liverpool's remaining fixtures are good and they only have a solitary 'top 6' clash against Chelsea.
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Numbers speak where words can't. 624 games, 539 goals for Barcelona. La Masia's greatest ever product is in many people's eyes, the best player of all time. For more than a decade, Messi has been leaving all of us spell-bound with something he was born to do: To play football.
Today, with a plethora of records shattered and a multitude of personal accolades won, he still shows no sign of slowing down.
He stepped up brilliantly this season following Neymar's departure from Barcelona. It was always going to be a tough task and he has taken the pressure by the scruff of its neck, allowing Barcelona to find themselves in contention for a treble this season. He has 24 goals in 27 games this campaign and the tally is certainly going to increase as the season progresses.
Lionel Messi to retain the European Golden Shoe? One wouldn't dare bet a penny against it!
