Top 10 Golden Boot Contenders at Euro 2024 (Ranked)

Euro 2024, the 17th edition of the prestigious tournament, is rapidly approaching, with Germany making elaborate preparations to host the event. The competition, which made its debut in 1960 with just four participating teams, has evolved significantly over the years, now featuring 24 teams competing across six groups following a rigorous series of qualification matches. England and France are at the top of our Euro 2024 power rankings in relation to who we think will win the tournament. While the reigning champions Italy are surprisingly not among the top picks to retain their title. As Germany eagerly awaits the arrival of Europe’s biggest global football stars, including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe, football enthusiasts are buzzing with anticipation. GIVEMESPORT has gone a step further by meticulously ranking the Golden Boot contenders at EURO 2024, adding an extra layer of excitement and intrigue to the upcoming tournament.

Ranking Factors

It’s important to note, each player will be ranked on the following factors:

• Goal record in qualifying
  – how prolific each player was and how they made an impact for their respective national team. Amount of goals scored is the primary factor when a Golden Boot winner is decided.
• Performances during the 2023/24 season
  – how each player have performed for their respective clubs during the last campaign.
• Goal record at previous EUROs
  – how consistent each player has been at this tournament over the years.

10 Patrik Schick

Czech Republic and Bayer Leverkusen

Patrick Schick topped the goalscoring charts along with Cristiano Ronaldo at EURO 2020 after netting five goals, though, the Portuguese forward acclaimed the Golden Boot award thanks to his one assist. The Czech Republic centre-forward led his nation to the quarter-finals of the competition and scored a quite mesmeric long-range strike against Scotland in the group stages which was named Goal of the Tournament.

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Repeating a similar tally this time around may be a tall order given his nation are in a group with Portugal and Turkey, with the final team yet to be confirmed, but he has shown he is capable.

9 Federico Chiesa

Italy and Juventus

Reigning champions Italy could become only the second team in history to retain the European Championship, having won the edition in 2020. Federico Chiesa starred in the triumph at the last tournament and will be hoping to add to his tally of seven goals for his country. The 26-year-old missed much of the qualifying matches through injury but did net a brace in a 5-2 win against North Macedonia.

Chiesa netted nine times for Juventus during the 2023/24 campaign and is entering the prime years of his career, so the Golden Boot award is certainly an achievement in reach for the supremely talented 26-year-old.

8 Memphis Depay

Centre-forward for Netherlands and Atletico Madrid

Memphis Depay has a phenomenal record for the Netherlands, scoring 44 goals in 88 appearances and is certainly a contender for the Golden Boot award at EURO 2024. The former Manchester United forward netted twice at the last EUROs and laid on an assist across four outings before his side bowed out in the last 16 against Czech Republic. If Ronald Koeman’s side are to better their last 16 finish this time around, it wouldn’t at all be surprising to see Memphis towards the top of the goal-scoring charts.

The 29-year-old is in the peak years of his career and could be the main man for his nation in Germany.

7 Robert Lewandowski

Poland and Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski has been one of the most prolific strikers in the world over the last decade and will be fancied to win the Golden Boot Award at EURO 2024 – if Poland manage to qualify that is. The 35-year-old has scored 81 goals for his country across 146 appearances and netted twice at the last EUROs before exiting in the group-stage phase. The Barcelona forward is entering the twilight of his career but has shown little signs of slowing down.

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Lewandowski scored 18 goals from 34 appearances for the La Liga giants during the 2023/24 campaign, as his side were unable to retain the title from arch-rivals Real Madrid.

6 Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund and Germany

Niclas Fullkrug made his international debut for Germany at age 29 and become the oldest outfield debutant for his country in 20 years. The Borussia Dortmund forward has enjoyed a late rise to the elite level and his output since arriving on the international stage has been prolific. Fullkrug has netted 10 times in 13 appearances for Germany, with seven of those 13 outings coming off the bench.

If he manages to gain a place as a starter in Julian Nagelsmann’s side, he could shine at the EUROs and become the main source of goals. With the hosts expected to reach the latter stages of the competition, Fullkrug could get enough game time to win the Golden Boot award.

5 Alvaro Morata

Atletico Madrid and Spain

Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro Morata has been in fine goal-scoring form for Diego Simeone’s team, having scored 15 times throughout the 2023/24 season. The former Chelsea forward spent a brief period as the joint-top scorer in the Champions League and netted four goals in qualifying for Spain, including a hat-trick against Georgia. So heading into the EUROs in Germany, Morata will be full of confidence in front of goal.

Spain, who reached the semi-finals of EURO 2020, will be hoping to go a couple of steps better and their 31-year-old captain will likely play a pivotal role in any success they do have. Morata has made 10 appearances at the EUROs previously and has scored six times.

4 Romelu Lukaku

Belgium and AS Roma

Romelu Lukaku was the top scorer in EUROs qualifying, netting 14 times across just eight outings, so naturally he’s expected to be among the goals in Germany. The former Manchester United and Chelsea forward scored four times at the previous EUROs, only one behind Golden Boot winner Ronaldo. Now aged 30, Lukaku is a veteran striker who has been around the block, and will likely be among the top scorers at the competition should his nation reach the latter stages.

Belgium are up against Slovakia and Romania in Group E, with the final team yet to be decided, but the expectation is that they’ll progress. A run to the final would set Lukaku up nicely to be a firm contender for the top goal-scorer award too.

3 Harry Kane

England and Bayern Munich

Harry Kane has been firing in the goals for Bayern Munich since making an £86m move from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023. The 30-year-old centre-forward finished as the top scorer in the Bundesliga having scored 36 goals. Kane has played 11 games at the EUROs previously, netting four times whilst turning provider on three occasions.

England are joint favourites to win the competition along with France, so if that expectation come to fruition, the former Spurs forward will likely play a key role in achieving the feat and could well be a contender for the Golden Boot Award.

2 Kylian Mbappe

France and Paris Saint-Germain

Kylian Mbappe is widely considered as one of the best players in the world and will be raring to right the wrongs of the last EUROs, which saw France bow out in the round of 16 on penalties against Switzerland. The Paris Saint-Germain wide player missed the crucial spot kick, as his side fell to a 5-4 defeat in the shootout.

After starring at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, helping Les Bleus reach the final whilst picking up the Golden Boot Award, Mbappe will likely be the talisman for his country once more and stands every chance of topping the goal-scoring charts. But as he is on his way out of PSG this summer, time will tell whether this will have an effect on his form for France.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal and Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo netted five goals at the previous EUROs and was crowned top goalscorer, so he’s more than capable of replicating that feat in a world-class Portugal side this time around. The Al-Nassr forward celebrated his 39th birthday in February 2024 but has shown little signs of slowing down at club and international level. Ronaldo finished top of the goalscoring charts in the Saudi Pro League having struck 33 times throughout the season.

The Real Madrid legend has also continued to deliver for his national team and was the second top scorer in EUROs qualifying, netting 10 times. It may be Ronaldo’s final international tournament, so it’d be fitting for him to bow out with the Golden Boot and a second EUROs title.

Statistics according to Transfermarkt