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The race for the 2019-20 European Golden Shoe is getting hotter and hotter as we gradually approach the middle end of the season. With another decade coming to a close, there’s an opportunity for players to make a name for themselves in the decade which has just started.
The last decade was dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi when it came to goals. Ronaldo has won the European Golden Shoe four times, while Messi has won it a record six times.
The Barcelona star is also the current holder, having netted 34 goals in La liga last season to scoop the prestigious individual award. While both Ronaldo and Messi are still in contention, other players are running them close.
The likes of Timo Werner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Robert Lewandowski are all in contention to win this year’s European Golden Shoe.
As we begin the month of January, Sportskeeda takes a look at the top 10 contenders for the 2018-2019 European Golden Shoe award:
(Note: This ranking is based on goals scored by players in only Europe’s top five leagues and, should players have the same number of goals, their assists will be used to decide who stays top of the other).
#10 Marcus Rashford (12 goals – 24 points)
Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has upped his game tremendously this season. The 22-year-old has been in imperious form in the present campaign and is currently the Red Devils’ top scorer in all competitions.
Rashford has already matched his best-ever goal-tally in the Premier League after reaching double figures in just 20 games. The England international is 10th in the European Golden Shoe race with 12 league goals.
Rashford has proven to be more clinical this season and has ensured that Manchester United have not missed Romelu Lukaku too much, since the Belgian departed to Inter Milan last summer. Despite playing on the wings, Rashford has chipped in with important goals, especially against the Premier League’s top sides and he can only get better.
#9 Karim Benzema (12 goals – 24 points)
Another player who is seriously in contention for the 2019-20 European Golden Shoe award is Real Madrid’s Karim Benze. Just like Rashford, the Frenchman has taken his goalscoring form to different heights this season.
Benzema used to play second fiddle to Ronaldo, but he has been the main man at the Bernabeu since the Portuguese star joined Juventus last season. Benzema has 12 goals and six assists to his name in La Liga this season.
Only Messi has scored more goals than the former Lyon striker since the beginning of the current season. As things stand, it looks like Benzema will surpass the 20-goal mark by the end of the season.
#8 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (13 goals (26 points)
Coming in eighth place in the European Golden Shoe rankings is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Arsenal striker was the joint top scorer in the Premier League last season with 22 goals and he has continued right where he left off.
In a season where the Gunners have struggled for firepower upfront, Aubameyang has been the club’s main source of goals. The Gabonese has now netted 13 goals in the current Premier League season.
He may be aging, but Aubameyang has proven to be a natural goalscorer and his tally can only increase as the season progresses.
#7 Danny Ings (13 goals – 26 points)
One intriguing fact about this year’s European Golden Shoe race is that there are many underdogs in the running. While Ronaldo is currently not even in the top 10, Danny Ings is ably represented.
The Southampton striker has made a very bright start to the season, which has seen him score goals for fun. He scored a beautiful solo goal on New Year’s Day as the Saints handed Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham a 1-0 defeat.
That strike took Ings’ goal tally to 13 in the Premier League this season. To imagine that all those goals came with just 37 shots point to how clinical the England international has been since the start of the current campaign.
#6 Wissam Ben Yedder (13 goals – 26 points)
As far as unlikely names come, Wissam Ben Yedder is another player who many did not expect to be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s top scorers. However, the Frenchman is currently dinning at the same table with the game’s top strikers.
Having struggled for game time at Sevilla, Ben Yedder moved to Ligue 1 side Monaco last summer. Interestingly, he has taken the French top-flight by storm and is currently leading the scoring charts.
Ben Yedder has scored 13 league goals this season, having outscored the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Mauro Icardi and Memphis Depay in the Ligue 1.
#5 Lionel Messi (13 goals – 26 points)
Lionel Messi is the reigning European Golden Shoe award holder. However, the Barcelona star finds himself far away in fifth place currently. The Argentine was hit by niggling injuries earlier in the season but he has recovered superbly.
Despite missing a few weeks as a result of his injuries, Messi is currently the top scorer in La Liga with 13 goals. The 32-year-old also boasts six assists to his name as he looks to once against pile up staggering numbers in the Spanish league.
Having already won the European Golden Shoe a record six times, it is increasingly looking like a seventh triumph is possible for Messi.
#4 Jamie Vardy (17 goals – 34 points)
Leicester City’s challenge for the Premier League has been massively aided by Jamie Vardy's goals. The Englishman continues to defy age and, at 32, he is still growing stronger and stronger.
Vardy is fourth in the race for the European Golden Shoe, having netted an impressive 17 goals in 19 Premier League games. In fact, the Leicester City striker has taken a commanding lead in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.
His 17 goals put him four clear of his nearest contenders, Aubameyang and Ings, who have both scored 13 league goals this season. With Vardy’s pace and trickery, it is easy to conclude that he has many more goals to offer before the season ends.
#3 Ciro Immobile (17 goals – 34 points)
Another underdog who is gradually making a name for himself is Ciro Immobile. The striker joined Lazio looking to relaunch his career after a failed stint at Borussia Dortmund. What he has achieved so far, though, has exceeded everyone’s expectation.
Immobile has been crucial to Lazio’s charge for a top four place, with his 17 goals making him the top scorer in Serie A this season. While likes of Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo are constantly in the news, the Italian is outscoring both players.
More than just a goalscorer, Immobile adds dynamism to his game which has ensured that he also has five assists to his name in the league. Italy definitely have a striker to rely on for the upcoming Euro 2020.
#2 Timo Werner (18 goals – 36 points)
Over a year ago when Germany boss Joachim Low made Timo Werner his first-choice striker, a few eyebrows were raised. However, the young striker has proven his potency in front of goal this season.
Werner is one of the top scorers in the Bundesliga this season, having scored 18 goals for RB Leipzig. The 23-year-old is a different breed of striker and is as good in liking up play as he is when it comes to putting the ball at the back of the net.
Werner’s goals are the reason why RB Leipzig are challenging for the Bundesliga title and the side could go all the way if their striker keeps up with his form till May.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (19 goals – 38 points)
The undisputed king in Europe is Robert Lewandowski currently. The Bayern Munich striker has always been a goal machine, but one way or the other, he’s often been overshadowed by either Messi or Ronaldo.
This year, however, looks like his year and he is making his presence felt. Not only is he the top scorer in the Bundesliga, Lewandowski is also leading the race for the European Golden Shoe with 19 goals.
The Polish striker also has two assists to his name, but it’s his ruthlessness in front of goal that separates him from the rest. The season is long, but Lewandowski is definitely the early favourite to win the 2019-2020 European Golden Shoe.
