Top 5 Football Players Who Won European Golden Shoe Award

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Originally called “Soulier d’Or,” the European Golden Shoe award was first presented in the 1967-68 season to Rodion Camataru for scoring a phenomenal total of 44 goals and has been perceived as one of the most coveted honors in the world of football ever since. The European Golden Shoe Award is presented to the highest goalscorer in any European league.

As of 2024, Lionel Messi holds the record for clinching the European Golden Shoe for the highest number of times, i.e., six times in his overall football career with Barcelona so far. Apart from Lionel Messi, numerous other iconic and legendary football players have also been honored with the prestigious European Golden Shoe award over the years.

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In this article, we will take a look at the top five football players who have been awarded with the European Golden Shoe award.

Top 5 Football Players Who Won European Golden Shoe Award

1. Lionel Messi 

As mentioned earlier, at the first spot on our list of top five football players who have been awarded with the European Golden Shoe Award, we have the legendary Argentine football player Lionel Andres Leo Messi. One of the most iconic and decorated players in the history of football, Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Shoe award for a record total of six times all throughout his football career with Barcelona. Quite similar to his dominance on the football fields, Lionel Messi also leads the list of the European Golden Shoe Award winners.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo 

On the second spot in our list of top five football players who have been awarded with the European Golden Shoe award, we have the legendary Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo, who is often hailed as the “GOAT” (Greatest of All-Time) by his fans in the world of football.

Cristiano Ronaldo has clinched the European Golden Shoe award a total of four times in the years 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2015. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a record total of 48 goals and 96 points, respectively, in the years 2014 and 2015, making him clinch the European Golden Shoe Award consecutively twice in a row.

3. Gerd Muller 

Well, if we are talking about footballers who have won the prestigious European Golden Shoe award multiple times, it’s mandatory to mention the late German football player Gerd Muller. A prolific striker and one of the greatest football players ever produced by Germany, Gerd Muller became the first-ever football player to successfully clinch the European Golden Shoe award twice in the years 1970 and 1972, making him rank on the spot on our list of the top five football players who have been awarded the European Golden Shoe award in the history of football.

4. Eusébio da Silva Ferreira 

Next up, at the fourth spot on our list of top five football players who have been awarded with the European Golden Shoe award, we have the legendary Portuguese football player Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, who became the first-ever football player to win the prestigious European Golden Shoe award.

With a total of 733 overall career goals in 745 matches, Eusebio was also a top goal scorer at the 1966 World Cup with a total of nine goals. After clinching his first European Golden Shoe award in 1968 with a total of 42 goals, Eusebio re-created history and won the prestigious award for the second time in 1973 with a total of 40 goals.

5. Mario Jardel 

Former Brazilian professional football player Mario Jardel has long been underestimated and overlooked despite playing a crucial role in Gremio’s victory at the 1995 Copa Libertadores. Mario Jardel scored a total of 206 goals in the 274 football matches that he played in his professional career, undoubtedly making him one of the greatest and most prolific Europe’s strikers.

Mario Jardel was honored with the European Golden Shoe Award twice in the 1998-99 and 2001-02 editions of the award, speaking volumes about the rich legacy that he has left behind that still resonates in the annals of football.

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