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Since the 1996/97 season, the European Golden Shoe has been awarded based on a points system, with goals scored in Europe's top five leagues - according to the UEFA coefficients - multiplied by a factor of two.
The season began interestingly with a number of contenders in the race for the golden shoe, although the number did dwindle as the season progressed, with only a few maintaining their goal-scoring prowess.
5 players have continued their consistent form and have kept scoring goals and notching points in the race for the Golden Shoe. These players have had stellar seasons for their clubs and in a couple of months, at the end of the league campaigns, the winner will be decided.
It's too close to call a winner just yet, but there remain four players in with a shot at ousting the current leader, who is slowly edging away from the pack. On that note, here we take a look at the current leaders for the golden shoe race:
#5 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
England and Spurs’ number nine Harry Kane, after a poor start to the season in August, found his feet quickly and the goal on numerous occasions, claiming 24 goals in the league so far this campaign, earning 48 points.
Despite Spurs' loss to Juventus in the UEFA Champions League, Kane and co still have a lot to play for this season. With the race for the top four heating up and an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United to look forward too, the season could still be revived.
Kane has been in supreme goal-scoring touch but an injury will keep him sidelined until the end of this month. It could dent his chances on claiming the golden shoe with the other contenders flying out ahead in the race.
Kane, a winner of the last two Premier League golden boots, is currently second in the league behind Mohamed Salah and fifth in the race for the European Golden Shoe.
#4 Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
Lazio's striking sensation, Ciro Immobile has been on fire in the Italian Serie A notching a staggering 24 goals so far this campaign, earning 48 points. Although Lazio sit in fifth place and a point off of Inter Milan in fourth, the club is in the quarterfinals of the Europa League and look like dark horses to win the competition.
With two routes to the UEFA Champions League and Immobile on fire, Lazio have a lot to fight for at the end of this season. The Italian striker has gelled brilliantly with the likes of Felipe Anderson and Nani at the club and is receiving great service from his teammates.
Immobile, now 28-years-old, is in the prime of this career and proving to be a difficult player to handle in and around the penalty area. An outside contender to win the Golden Shoe, Immobile could turn up the heat at the end of the season and push for a good finish with Lazio.
#3 Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain)
Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani has always been in and around the top goal scorers in Europe’s best leagues in the last couple of seasons and he's at it again. The arrival of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to PSG has helped Cavani’s influence in the team, with the striker claiming 24 goals for the club in Ligue 1, earning 48 points.
Cavani is a potent goal threat against any club and despite the club's exit in the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid, a league and domestic cup double is still on the cards for Unai Emery's team.
Cavani began this campaign well and has continued to score goals throughout the season, keeping up his great form. In fact, the Uruguayan even has an outside chance to finish with most goals this season in Europe's top leagues.
#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Lionel Messi accomplished what most footballers never achieve in their footballing careers by the young age of 23. He made his Barcelona debut in 2005 at the tender age of 17, and in the next six years, the Argentine claimed 3 UEFA Champions League trophies, 5 La Liga titles, and 2 Club World Cups.
Messi most recently played a massive part in taking the Catalan giants through to the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League, beating Chelsea. Messi has been in sublime touch this season as well, as he has notched 25 goals in the La Liga, as Barcelona looks set to claim another league title. Individually the striker is second in the race for the European Golden Shoe with 50 points.
Only the FIFA World Cup and the Copa America elude the 30-year-old genius and the Argentinian will be itching for a World Cup trophy this year at Russia. For over a decade now, Messi has produced sensational displays and if he does win the Golden Shoe this year, he will be the only player in history, to have won it five times.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Liverpool’s Egyptian striker, Mohamed Salah joined the Merseyside club on a five-year deal worth €35 million from Roma at the start of the season and has adapted to life at Anfield superbly, notching a staggering 28 four goals in the Premier League so far this season.
A ferociously quick and attacking player, Salah has broken a number of club records during his time so far at Liverpool. Salah has proved himself to be a brilliant acquisition to Jurgen Klopp, who has helped the Egyptian play closer to goal and become a contender for the Premier League’s Golden Boot race, and the European Golden Shoe race this season, as Liverpool look rampant going forward.
With Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino alongside the Egyptian, the number of chances being created by Liverpool's front three has substantially increased this season in comparison to last. Liverpool are in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, where they will take on Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, and are also still in the race for a top-four spot.
If Salah keeps finding the net, Liverpool could be in for a stellar end to their campaign, while the player will head to the World Cup in great spirits. He could be the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Golden Shoe with an English club, and is currently in the lead with 56 points.
