The curtains have risen on the 2024 European Championship, and a supercomputer has made its forecast for the Golden Boot award. Cristiano Ronaldo remains among the top three favorites, with Kylian Mbappe undisputedly emerging as the leading contender.
Many legendary tales have been written on the pitch争夺德劳内杯, and the names of those who have won the European Championship Golden Boot are household — Ronaldo, Shearer, and Kluivert all dominated their eras. The supercomputer, using algorithms, has analyzed all players participating in this Euro to generate a ranking of the top favorites for the prestigious accolade.
5. Bellingham It might be surprising to see Bellingham ranked above world-class forwards like Lewandowski and Giroud as the fifth favorite for the Golden Boot. However, considering his impressive performances at Real Madrid, the trophies he’s won, and his upcoming role as the number 10 for England, such doubts might fade.
4. Lukaku Despite occasional criticism from Chelsea fans for his composure in front of goal, statistics don’t lie. Lukaku has scored over 50 goals in three seasons at Roma, and for his national team, he is even more prolific, netting 85 goals in 115 matches. If he maintains his Euro qualifying form of 14 goals in 8 games, a Golden Boot claim becomes credible.
3. Ronaldo The only player on this list to have previously won the Golden Boot, one can never underestimate Ronaldo’s scoring ambition. At 39, this might be his swansong, but his competitiveness and hunger for success make it unsurprising that he is the third favorite for the award.
2. Kane For some, this might come as a surprise, but the supercomputer ranks the England captain as the second most likely to win the Golden Boot. Kane has been on fire for Bayern Munich this season, scoring 44 goals in 45 matches, his debut campaign with the club. His efficiency for the national team is also impressive, with 63 goals in 91 appearances for the Three Lions. The 30-year-old Kane aims to lead England to glory this year, and winning the Golden Boot would be the ultimate validation.
1. Mbappe The only player capable of dethroning Harry Kane as the top favorite for the Golden Boot is Mbappe. He has already demonstrated his ability to shine on big stages, especially in the 2022 World Cup, where he scored 8 goals, including a hat-trick in the final. Mbappe hopes his goals will propel France forward, making up for the heartache of losing the title on home soil in 2016.
