European Golden Shoe Overview (2024/25)
The European Golden Shoe is awarded to the most prolific goalscorer across Europe’s domestic leagues. Harry Kane claimed the title at the end of the 2023/24 season following an outstanding campaign. However, winning it demands consistent performances from early August through to the end of May.
Under the award’s weighting system, goals scored in Europe’s top five leagues—based on UEFA’s coefficients—are given double value. Those scored in leagues ranked 6 to 21 are multiplied by 1.5, while goals from lower-ranked leagues count as single points.
Notably, the last player to win the Golden Shoe while playing outside the top five leagues (currently England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France) was Mario Jardel, who achieved this with Porto in the 2001/02 season. As such, the award typically goes to top-tier players from Europe’s elite competitions. Our rankings tend to favor these players, even when others may have higher raw goal tallies.
As the 2024/25 season nears its conclusion, the Golden Shoe race is heating up, with Viktor Gyokeres, Mohamed Salah, and Kylian Mbappe all pushing for the prize.
Ranking Criteria:
Goals Scored: The primary factor in ranking players.
League Strength: Goals in stronger leagues earn more points.
Player Reputation: Consistent top performers are favored.
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Efthymios Koulouris – Pogon Szczecin (Polish Ekstraklasa)
Greek forward Efthymios Koulouris has been outstanding this season, scoring 27 times in 31 matches. Despite his form, his league’s 1.5 coefficient limits his total points, leaving him behind 15 others in the standings despite ranking 10th in raw points.
Koulouris made headlines with a four-goal performance—including a stoppage-time winner—in a thrilling 5-4 win over Puszcza Niepolomice in April. He’s been consistently effective since joining from LASK in 2023.
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Players on the Rise
Ousmane Dembele – Paris Saint-Germain
Dembele is enjoying a career resurgence, playing a crucial role in PSG’s Champions League push and rebounding from his underwhelming spell at Barcelona. He’s also a Ballon d’Or contender.
Mason Greenwood – Marseille
Following his release from Manchester United, Greenwood signed with Marseille. While he’s performed well on the pitch under Roberto De Zerbi and helped them secure Champions League football, concerns about his attitude may result in a premature departure.
Patrik Schick – Bayer Leverkusen
Schick has returned to form after an injury-hit season, scoring 21 Bundesliga goals and helping Leverkusen challenge Bayern Munich for the title. His performances have reportedly attracted interest from Manchester United.
Victor Boniface – Bayer Leverkusen
Boniface was Leverkusen’s leading striker during their unbeaten title-winning run last season, but injuries have since seen Schick reclaim the central role.
Omar Marmoush – Manchester City
Signed in January, Marmoush has stepped up in Haaland’s absence, quickly making an impact with a hat-trick in just his third Premier League match. His strong Bundesliga numbers at Eintracht Frankfurt suggested he’d be a success.
Ante Budimir – Osasuna
Despite being 33 and playing for midtable Osasuna, Budimir has bagged 21 La Liga goals this season. The Croatian may not be a headline name, but his goal tally is impressive.
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Mika Biereth – AS Monaco
Biereth, a product of Arsenal’s academy, joined Monaco in January from Sturm Graz for £11m. The Danish striker has been a revelation, scoring 13 goals in just 16 Ligue 1 matches, much to Arsenal’s frustration after his permanent departure in 2024.
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Alexander Isak – Newcastle United
Isak has developed into a top European forward under Eddie Howe. He played a vital role in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup victory and remains a target for clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool. Newcastle are reportedly ready to offer him a new contract to secure his future.
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Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona
Now in his third season at Barcelona, Lewandowski remains one of Europe’s elite strikers. Working once again with Hansi Flick, his former coach at Bayern, the Polish veteran has scored 25 La Liga goals this season. Although injuries have hindered his shot at another top scorer award, his incredible career tally continues to grow.