Without a doubt, the Golden Boot is one of the most prestigious individual awards that a footballer can win, as winning it means that the player is the top scorer of the season in Europe. The first to make history with this award was the legendary striker Eusebio, when in the 66-67 season he scored 42 goals for Benfica

Since that first award, dozens of footballers have taken to the stage to receive the Golden Boot. Last year, Harry Kane won the award. The English striker and his 36 goals beat the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. However, this year he has not been able to match the level of the French star of Real Madrid, who has emerged victorious in this new edition with 31 goals.

Leo Messi, the most successful player with the Golden Boot

The Argentine star is the player who has won the award the most times: on six occasions he has been proclaimed winner of the Golden Boot. His trail is followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with four awards, but there is no one who has been able to match him so far. Mbappe is starting his journey to catch up with Messi, but for the moment he is still a long way behind him

All the Golden Boot winners

• 1967-1968: Eusebio, 42 goals with Benfica.
• 68-69: Petar Zhekov, 36 goals with CSKA Sofia.
• 69-70: Gerd Müller, 38 goals with Bayern Munich.
• 70-71: Josip Skoblar, 44 goals with Marseille.
• 71-72: Gerd Muller, 40 goals with Bayern Munich.
  
• 70-71: Josip Skoblar, 44 goals with Marseille.
• 71-72: Gerd Müller, 40 goals with Bayern Munich.
• 72-73: Eusebio, 40 goals with Benfica.
• 73-74: Hector Yazalde, 46 goals with Sporting Lisbon.
• 74-75: Dudu Geogescu, 33 goals with Dinamo Bucharest.
• 75-76: Sotiris Kaiafas, 39 goals with Omonia Nicosia.
• 76-77: Dudu Geogescu, 47 goals with Dinamo Bucharest.
• 77-78: Hansi Krankl, 41 goals with Rapid Vienna.
• 78-79: Kees Kist, 34 goals with AZ.
• 79-80: Erwin Vandenbergh, 39 goals with Lierse.
• 80-81: Georgi Slavkov, 31 goals with Trakia Plodiv.
• 81-82: Wim Kieft, 32 goals with Ajax.
• 82-83: Fernando Gomes, 36 goals with Porto.
• 83-84: Ian Rush, 32 goals with Liverpool.
• 84-85: Fernando Gomes, 39 goals with Porto.
• 85-86: Marco Van Basten, 37 goals with Ajax.
• 86-87: Toni Polster, 39 goals with Austria Vienna.
• 87-88: Tanju Colak, 39 goals with Galatasaray.
• 88-89: Dorin Mateut, 43 goals with Dinamo Bucharest.
• 89-90: Hugo Sanchez and Hristo Stoichkov, 38 goals with Real Madrid and CSKA Sofia respectively.
• 90-91: Darko Pancev, 34 goals with Red Star.
• 91-92: Ally McCoist, 34 goals with Rangers.
• 92-93: Ally McCoist, 34 goals with Rangers.
• 93-94: David Taylor, 43 goals with Porthmadog.
• 94-95: Arsen Avistisyan, 39 goals with Homenhem.
• 95-96: Zviad Endeladze, 40 goals with Margvetti.
• 96-97: Ronaldo, 34 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 97-98: Nikos Machlas, 34 goals with Vitesse.
• 98-99: Mario Jardel, 36 goals with Porto.
• 99-00: Kevin Phillips, 30 goals with Sunderland.
• 00-01: Henrik Larsson, 35 goals with Celtic.
• 01-02: Mario Jardel, 42 goals with Sporting CP.
• 02-03: Roy Makaay, 29 goals with Deportivo La Coruna.
• 03-04: Thierry Henry, 30 goals with Arsenal.
• 04-05: Henry and Diego Forlan, 25 goals with Arsenal and Villarreal respectively.
• 05-06: Luca Toni, 31 goals with Fiorentina.
• 06-07: Francesco Totti, 26 goals with Roma.
• 07-08: Cristiano Ronaldo, 31 goals with Manchester United.
• 08-09: Diego Forlan, 32 goals with Atletico Madrid.
• 09-10: Lionel Messi, 34 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 10-11: Cristiano Ronaldo, 40 goals with Real Madrid.
• 11-12: Lionel Messi, 50 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 12-13: Lionel Messi, 46 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 13-14: Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez, 31 goals with Real Madrid and Liverpool respectively.
• 14-15: Cristiano Ronaldo, 48 goals with Real Madrid.
• 15-16: Luis Suarez, 40 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 16-17: Lionel Messi, 37 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 17-18: Lionel Messi, 34 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 18-19: Lionel Messi, 36 goals with FC Barcelona.
• 19-20: Ciro Immobile, 36 goals with Lazio.
• 20-21: Robert Lewandowski, 41 goals with Bayern Munich.
• 21-22: Robert Lewandowski, 35 goals with Bayern Munich.
• 22-23: Erling Haaland, 36 goals with Manchester City.
• 24-25: Harry Kane, 36 goals with Bayern Munich.
• 25-26: Kylian Mbappe, 31 goals with Real Madrid

Mbappe had come close to the Golden Boot on several occasions since making his professional debut. In the 2018-19 campaign he was second, with 33 goals, six less than the winner, Leo Messi, in his last season at Barcelona. In 2021-22 he was second, with 28 goals, only behind Robert Lewandowski, still in the ranks of Bayern Munich. And a year later he was again third (27 goals), in an edition in which another Bayern player, the Englishman Harry Kane, was crowned.