We’re past the halfway point of the season and the race for the European Golden Shoe has taken shape, with many of the usual suspects already in the top 10 goalscorers in Europe’s big five leagues.
It’s still taking time to get used to not seeing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s names here. Messi has turned into more of a provider at PSG, topping the assists charts, while Ronaldo scored just one Premier League goal before departing for Saudi Arabia.
But fear not – there are still plenty of familiar names, alongside a few surprise packages, in the top goal scorers from the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga.
5. Robert Lewandowski – 14
Gunning to become the only other player not named Lionel Messi to win a third successive European Golden Shoe, it looks like Lewandowski has stiff competition this year.
Playing in La Liga, with four more games than the Bundesliga, will help. The 34-year-old striker drew a blank on his competitive debut for Barcelona, an underwhelming 0-0 draw with Rayo Vallecano, but has silenced any doubts he’ll need time to adapt to a new league.
Lewandowski averages a goal every 89 minutes in La Liga this season.
4. Folarin Balogun – 15
The Arsenal loanee at Reims has just overtaken Mbappe to sit top of the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts.
After scoring a coolly-taken last-gasp equaliser at PSG, the 21-year-old followed that up with a brilliant hat-trick against Lorient. The future looks very bright indeed for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, doesn’t it?
3. Victor Osimhen – 17
Osimhen has had his struggles with injury this season, missing a few games, but he’s been absolutely lethal when fit and available, scoring 14 goals from 16 Serie A appearances.
The Nigeria international is proving a vital part of the remarkable Napoli story this season.
2. Harry Kane – 17
“Antonio’s been fantastic. He has probably taken fitness levels to another level for me,” Kane said in the summer.
“Mentality, being with him every day, seeing the way he prepares, the way he brings his passion and brings the best out of the lads, I’ve learnt from that.”
A famously slow starter, being given the runaround in an Antonio Conte pre-season appears to have done the trick. The England captain was straight out of the blocks with four goals in his first four appearances in August and hasn’t let up since.
Tottenham have been faltering this season but their talisman looks as good as he ever has. He might even best his career-best tally of 30 Premier League goals, set back in 2017-18.
1. Erling Haaland – 25
The Norwegian is already the fastest player to reach 50 goals in a major European league from his time at Borussia Dortmund, but he’s well on course to obliterate his own record.
Twenty-five goals in his first 19 Premier League appearances. One every 62 minutes. The boy’s an absolute monster.
