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

#1 Ciro Immobile

Immobile currently leads the race for the accolade

The name leading the race for the European Golden Shoe at the moment is partially a surprising one. Italian sharpshooter, Ciro Immobile has outpced other prolific goalscorers from all the top European leagues to climb to the top of the rankings.

It's been another prolific outing for the SS Lazio striker. Alongside Mauro Icardi, he won the Serie A Golden Shoe for the 2017/2018 campaign when he bagged 29 goals from 33 appearances. He lost the accolade to Fabio Quagliarella last term but could end up grabbing a bigger prize this season with his position in the running for the European Golden Shoe at the moment.

The striker has recorded 25 goals from 23 Serie A appearances this season, three ahead of second-placed Robert Lewandowski. He is firing on all cylinders right now, with amazing performances every week. It remains to be seen if he could hold on to the first spot till the end of the term but there's absolutely no doubt he could get the job done.

Also read: Top 10 contenders for the European Golden Shoe

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