New Delhi: The race for the golden boot is on as the 2024 Euro campaign progresses towards the knockout stages. Over the years, we have witnessed some of the best goalscorers to win the Euro golden boot, including the likes of Fernando Torres for Spain in 2012, Antoine Griezmann for France in 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal in the previous campaign and many other big names. This year’s race is on as the players get ready for the knockout stages and there are certain contenders who look very much capable of winning the golden boot this year.
Alvaro Morata- Spain
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY – JUNE 20: Lamine Yamal and Alvaro Morata of Spain celebrate their team’s first goal, an own goal scored by Riccardo Calafiori of Italy (obscured) during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Spain and Italy at Arena AufSchalke on June 20, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Spanish striker had a brilliant start to the campaign scoring the first goal of this Euro campaign for Spain. He has been a constant contender for the golden boot after scoring three goals in the previous two campaigns and this season he joined the list of all time top scorers in Euros after scoring a goal against Croatia on matchday one. He is now tied at third with Antoine Griezmann and Alan Shearer on seven goals as the all time top scorers in Euro championship.
Despite him being unable to score in the last two group stage matches, the Atletico striker shows the calibre to be one of the main contenders for winning the golden boot this year. He had a brilliant season with Atletico Madrid scoring 15 times throughout the season and he has proven himself to be a dangerous threat for the opposition.
Niclas Fullkrug- Germany
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY – JUNE 23: Niclas Fuellkrug of Germany celebrates after the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Switzerland and Germany at Frankfurt Arena on June 23, 2024 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
Niclas Fullkrug has already scored twice in this campaign and it looks like he can certainly be one of the major contenders to win the golden boot this time around. The towering German centre forward has already saved Germany once after scoring a last time equalizer against a stubborn Switzerland after coming off the bench. He is amongst the few players who have already scored two goals this campaign and he looks set to perform in the group stages.
With Julian Nagelsmann still playing Kai Havertz as a number nine, this might be a sign for him to give Fullkrug his well deserved chance. The 31-year-old has already proved his worth after coming off as a super sub and now will be preparing to possibly start the game in round of 16 against Denmark.
Cody Gakpo- Netherlands
BERLIN, GERMANY – JUNE 25: Cody Gakpo from The Netherlands in action during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Netherlands and Austria at Olympiastadion on June 25, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images)
Cody Gakpo has been in a blistering form for Netherlands, scoring twice already this season. Gakpo has had his ups and downs at Liverpool but ever since the Euro campaign started, he has looked like a force to reckon with. Netherlands had the perfect start to their campaign after they beat Poland in the first matchday where they won the match 2-1, with Gakpo scoring the leveller after they went behind in the 16th minute of the game. The second matchday against France remained deadlocked before Gakpo scored his second goal of the season, this time in a 3-2 defeat against Austria in the final matchday of group stages.
Kylian Mbappe- France
DORTMUND, GERMANY – JUNE 25: Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates his goal on a penalty kick during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between France and Poland at Football Stadium Dortmund on June 25, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Mbappe has looked nowhere near his best in this Euro campaign, but it is no doubt about how quickly he can turn the tables and bag goals for his side. The Frenchman, despite scoring just one this campaign, is a certain contender to win the golden boot. Mbappe had a brilliant season with PSG where he bagged a mammoth total of 44 goals in all competition which proves that he is still deadly in front of the goal. However, in this campaign he has had a limp in his finishing but he can certainly be the man to guide France to the very end with his goal scoring abilities.
Georges Mikautadze- Georgia
ARENA AUFSCHALKE, GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY – 2024/06/26: Georges Mikautadze of Georgia celebrates at the end of the Uefa Euro 2024 Group F football match between Georgia and Portugal. Georgia wins 2-0 over Portugal. (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A controversial pick, but it has to be mentioned that Mikautadze has had a brilliant Euro campaign so far. The current top scorer is the only player to have scored three in the group stages and despite him being an unlikely pick in this list, he might prove out to be a crucial part in Georgia’s round of 16 tie against Spain. The Georgian striker has looked good throughout the group stages, becoming the only player to score in all three group stage matches this campaign. Besides, he is way ahead of any other player in the list with three goals and also an assist to his name.
Here are the contenders for this year’s Euro golden boot as the tournament progresses towards the knockout stages. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
