Who will become top scorer in Germany? Read our preview!
Who will become top scorer in Germany? Read our preview!
The eyes of the footballing world fall on Germany this summer to find out who is going to lift the Henri Delaunay Cup and be crowned Euro 2024 champions. France and England head into the tournament as favourites, but the likes of Germany, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands will all fancy their chances of upsetting the odds. Goals win football matches, and if these countries have any hope of being crowned European champions, they will need plenty of goals flowing through their team. So, let’s take a look at our top ten predictions for the Euro 2024 Golden Boot race. Keep an eye on the latest odds and predictions for Euro 24.
It may be a boring choice, but it’s boring for a reason! Kylian Mbappe is the favourite to finish as the top scorer this summer in Germany after recording another 50 goal contributions in all competitions this season. While some will argue that scoring so many goals in Ligue 1 is far from impressive, the PSG superstar got his name on the CL scoresheet for fun too this year. Combine the deadliest goalscorer (Mbappe) with one of the best teams in Europe (France) and the Golden Boot doesn’t seem too farfetched. Mbappe also won the Golden Boot at the 2022 WC, only boosting his credentials even further. Of course, there are plenty of world-class players in the England ranks who will look to push him all the way (and we will get to that), but France play a way more attacking and expansive brand of football than the Three Lions at the moment.
England’s record goalscorer is a close second on our list. Like Mbappe, Harry Kane already has an international Golden Boot to his name, scoring six times at the 2018 WC in Russia. After scoring 280 goals in 435 games for his beloved Tottenham Hotspur, many wondered whether a move to Bayern Munich would be a risk for the England captain. Kane may have missed out on the Bundesliga title, calling into question whether he may indeed be cursed by the trophy gods, but his goalscoring cannot be doubted this season. The top goalscorer in Europe this year, it seems only a small jump to carry that kind of form into Euro 2024. England are the bookies’ favourites to win the tournament and, although Gareth Southgate plays a more reserved brand of football, you wouldn’t be surprised to see Kane score anywhere between five and ten goals.
Yes, he may be 39 years old, but you would be foolish to completely discount one of the greatest players of all time. After watching his bitter rival, Lionel Messi, reap the rewards of one last dance at the WC in 2022, Ronaldo’s mouth will surely be watering at the thought of another international trophy for his cabinet. Over 750 career goals in just over 1000 games, Ronaldo has made a career out of creating something from nothing. Not to mention that he is currently the top goalscorer in European Championship tournament and qualifying history! He is also the reigning Golden Boot holder for the tournament, having won it back in 2020. That kind of pedigree should not be ignored, particularly when Portugal are dark horses to do well in Germany.
He isn’t the first England player to make our list and he won’t be the last. Jude Bellingham has surpassed even the wildest of expectations since his move to Real Madrid last summer. Fast forward 9 months and the young man from Birmingham looks like a Galactico through and through. Bellingham has scored more than 20 goals for Los Blancos this year, which would be impressive for a striker, let alone a central midfielder. Despite being so young, he is already a talismanic figure within the England camp and that’s why he gets the nod above the likes of Phil Foden to make our list.
He may not be coming off his best season with Roma in Serie A, but Romelu Lukaku certainly knows where the back of the net is. Belgium are currently ranked third in the world, behind only France in terms of European competition. The Red Devils also recently went toe-to-toe with England at Wembley, conceding a last-minute goal to draw 2-2 with the so-called favourites for this summer. Lukaku himself has scored 83 goals in 114 games for his country, making him statistically one of the deadliest international marksmen currently playing the game. The Belgian striker also has a secret weapon in his arsenal that no rival forward has – a certain man by the name of Kevin de Bruyne. Some of the chances the Man City star is able to put on a plate will surely at least give Lukaku a sniff of the top scorer award.
At 37 years old, Oliver Giroud is somehow not even the oldest striker on our list (thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo). However, the elder statesman of the France squad shows no signs of slowing down, having netted more than 15 goals for AC Milan this season in Italy. The former Arsenal and Chelsea star also happens to be France’s first-choice number nine, meaning he could find himself starting the vast majority of the games in Germany this summer. Giroud may not have the pace of Mbappe or the trickery of Griezmann, but he is one of the most underrated finishers in world football. If his teammates create chances, Giroud is unlikely to disappoint.
If Kylian Mbappe misses out on the award, it isn’t too farfetched to predict it might go elsewhere within the French ranks. Antoine Griezmann is a consistent starter for Les Blues in the number ten role these days and has more than 20 goals across all competitions for Atletico Madrid this season. Griezmann is no stranger to turning up at the Euros either, having scooped the top scorer and Player of the Tournament awards back in 2016. Mbappe is just as electric at racing past defenders and putting goals on a plate for his teammates, so Griezmann could be one to watch this summer. You never know, an injury to France’s star player could also thrust Antoine into the limelight.
The third and final England star to make our list – the Three Lions, if you will. Bukayo Saka is nailed down to start every single game on the right side of a front three for England, as long as he stays fit. Saka has made a name for himself by getting vital goals from those kinds of positions for Arsenal over the last few years, and the national goals are starting to roll in now too. Saka has 11 goals in his last 28 games for the Three Lions and will be looking to significantly add to his tally this summer. With Harry Kane liking to drop deep and spray pin-point passes over the top, Saka could be a key beneficiary in Germany.
It is always foolish to sleep on the German national side. They have a track record of turning up and churning out results, no matter the quality of their starting XI on paper. The Germans have been quietly building a pretty impressive team over the last few years and head into their home tournament as third favourites to win. Kai Havertz looks set to lead the line and will likely be on penalties for the Germans, which is why we have him placed slightly higher than Jamal Musiala. Havertz has probably enjoyed his best season in England this year with Arsenal and will be heading into the tournament full of confidence.
Spain are one of the dark horses for the tournament this summer. After an era of dominance between 2008 and 2012, the tika-taka specialists fell somewhat dormant. However, after impressing with their style of play at the 2022 WC, the Spaniards should be full of goals this summer, even if they end up falling a little short. The likes of Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo are great outside bets for the top scorer award, but we have gone with Alvaro Morata who looks set to lead the line for his country.
Check our latest odds for the Golden Boot race here!
Odds might have changed since the writing and publication of this article.
Last updated: 05.06.2024