We’re heading into the final stretch of the European football season, and with titles, relegation battles, and continental spots all up for grabs, one individual race is also taking shape – the European Golden Boot.
What is the European Golden Boot?
The European Golden Boot is awarded every season to the top goalscorer across all of Europe’s top-flight domestic leagues. First launched during the 1967–68 campaign, the award has evolved over time and is now one of the most prestigious individual honours a striker can receive.
Since 1997, the Golden Boot has been calculated using a weighted points system, introduced to level the playing field between players scoring in stronger and weaker leagues.
How are points calculated?
The current system awards each player points based on the number of goals they score, multiplied by a league strength coefficient based on UEFA’s rankings.
Players in Europe’s top five leagues, the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1, receive two points for every goal scored. Players in mid-ranking leagues, such as Portugal’s Primeira Liga or the Dutch Eredivisie, are awarded 1.5 points per goal. Players in lower-ranked leagues receive one point per goal.
This system means that while raw goal tallies are important, players in tougher competitions are rewarded more heavily for their efforts.
2024/25 European Golden Boot: Top 10 standings
1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 27 goals × 2 = 54 points
Salah is leading the way in this season’s Golden Boot race thanks to another sensational campaign for Liverpool. The Egyptian forward is averaging nearly a goal per game in the EPL and continues to be the Reds go-to man as Liverpool approach English League title number 20.
Mo Salah now holds the record for the the most goal involvements EVER in a 38 game Premier League season! ??? pic.twitter.com/n1AYelWeDl
— Bet9ja: The home of #betBOOM! ? (@Bet9jaOfficial) April 14, 2025
2. Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) 34 goals × 1.5 = 51 points
Gyökeres is Europe’s most prolific striker this season in terms of raw goals, netting 34 times for Sporting in Portugal. However, due to the league’s 1.5 coefficient, he sits just behind Salah in the standings despite seven more goals. No player from outside of Europe’s top five leagues has won the Golden Shoe award since Mario Jardel scored 42 goals for Sporting in 2001-02. 23 years later, could another Sporting striker could be the man to do it?
3. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) 25 goals × 2 = 50 points
Lewandowski continues to deliver for Barcelona. The Polish veteran has scored consistently throughout the La Liga season and remains a major threat in the race for the Golden Boot.
4. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) 24 goals × 2 = 48 points
Last season’s Golden Boot winner has followed up strongly in his second year in Germany. With 24 Bundesliga goals already, Kane is within touching distance of the leaders and still has time to mount a charge.
It took Harry Kane just 83 games to reach 100 goals/assists for Bayern Munich ?
— Bet9ja: The home of #betBOOM! ? (@Bet9jaOfficial) March 31, 2025
The fourth quickest of any player in Europe since 2000 to hit that milestone ?gbeng?
pic.twitter.com/5Ye5D1lRvZ
5. Mateo Retegui (Atalanta) 23 goals × 2 = 46 points
Retegui has been the surprise package of the season. The Atalanta striker has stepped up in the absence of Gianluca Scamacca and has been one of Serie A’s standout players this campaign, averaging nearly a goal every game.
6. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) 22 goals × 2 = 44 points
Mbappé’s first season at Real Madrid hasn’t been without challenges, but he’s still been clinical in front of goal. With 22 La Liga strikes, he remains a contender if he finishes strongly.
7. Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) 21 goals × 2 = 42 points
Dembélé is enjoying his best-ever scoring season, finally delivering on the promise he showed at Dortmund. The French winger has been electric in Ligue 1 for Luis Enrique’s PSG.
Ousmane Dembele is on ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/E9fDFgDF5L
— Bet9ja: The home of #betBOOM! ? (@Bet9jaOfficial) February 13, 2025
8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) 21 goals × 2 = 42 points
Haaland hasn’t hit the ridiculous heights of his first two seasons at City but is still one of the EPL’s most dangerous forwards. His 21 goals keep him in the mix with a few games left.
9. Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt / Man City) 21 goals × 2 = 42 points
Marmoush began the season in the Bundesliga with Frankfurt before joining Manchester City in January. He’s scored consistently in both leagues and has truly been one of this season’s breakout stars.
Omar Marmoush has arrived at Manchester City! ?pic.twitter.com/16nZmRnYoK
— Bet9ja: The home of #betBOOM! ? (@Bet9jaOfficial) February 16, 2025
10. Alexander Isak (Newcastle) 21 goals × 2 = 42 points
Isak has been on fire for Newcastle in 2025, pushing the Magpies into the Champions League race. The Swede has quietly kept pace with Europe’s best and is now level with Dembélé, and City pair Haaland and Marmoush
The Race Is On
With just a few games remaining in the season, the Golden Boot is far from decided. Salah is in pole position, but he’ll be chased every step of the way by Lewandowski, Kane, Gyökeres and a host of others still within striking distance.
As the season reaches its climax, remember there’s no better place to bet on all the European football drama than Bet9ja. Get involved here!
