5 players who could pip Lionel Messi to the European Golden Shoe this season

Modified Feb 13, 2020 07:54 GMT

Barcelona talisman, Lionel Messi won the accolade last year

#2 Robert Lewandowski

Another prolific outing for the Polish striker

Bayern Munich sharpshooter, Robert Lewandowski has been one of the hottest finishers in Europe for the past few years. Unfortunately, he's never laid his hands on the prestigious Golden Shoe but he has a decent chance to do so this season, following his prolific start to the campaign.

The Polish international currently tops the goalscoring chart in the German Bundesliga with 22 goals from 21 appearances. He is already eight goals ahead of Lionel Messi in the race for the accolade. Across Europe's top 5 leagues at the moment, only Ciro Immobile has more goals than the Bayern Munich striker.

With the Bavarians having bounced back following a recent dip in form and the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Thiago Alcantara pulling the strings from behind him, Lewandowski is expected to add more goals to his tally before the conclusion of the term. He remains one of the few superstars who should be taken seriously in the battle for the European Golden Shoe this season.

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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Edited by rehaan díaz