UEFA Euro 2020: Decoding the contenders for the Golden Boot
The European Championships will be starting from June 11 onwards. Europe's top nations are set to battle it out for the coveted prize. There are several top contenders for the Euro 2020 trophy as the race looks wide open. In terms of players stepping it up in attack, several high-profile forwards can leave an impression. We decode the top contenders for the Golden Boot.
France youngster Kylian Mbappe had a defining 2020-21 season for Paris Saint-Germain. The versatile forward topped the scoring in Ligue 1 (27 goals) and made seven assists. Overall, Mbappe netted 42 goals in all competitions, including eight in the Champions League. It was his best season at club level. Mbappe, who has 17 international goals, can go the distance with tournament favorites France.
Harry Kane had a brilliant campaign for Tottenham, scoring 33 goals in all competitions. He won the Premier League Golden Boot award, besides taking home the Playmaker award as well (G23 A14). With 34 goals for England under his belt, Kane has been a prolific scorer. In 2021, he has two goals in three matches for his nation. He will be a key figure.
Cristiano Ronaldo is tied alongside Michel Platini in terms of most goals scored in the European Championships (9). He is in line to etch his name on the history books by steering clear of Platini. Ronaldo has the second-highest international goals (103) and can get past record holder Ali Daei (109). He netted 36 goals across competitions for Juventus, including 29 in Serie A.
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has been racking up goals at a fast rate. Recently, Lukaku became the fastest to net 60 goals at the international level (93 matches), breaking the record held by Neymar (95 games). Lukaku netted 30 goals for Inter Milan in the recently concluded season. In 2021, he has three goals for Belgium and had scored five last term.
Robert Lewandowski dominated the scoring chart for the second successive season in Europe's top 5 leagues. After netting 55 goals for Bayern Munich in 2019-20, Lewandowski scored a staggering 48 in 2020-21. He is the best striker on the planet right now and will be a crucial force if Poland are to advance to the knockout stages. He has 66 goals for Poland.
