Golden Shoe 2018/19: The Daredevil's December Rankings (Top 5 Leagues)

Football, the beautiful game, has been entertaining millions of fans across the world week in and week out. Every season we witness some history being created by some outstanding players on the pitch. Trophies, awards, and accolades are the testament to the stamp of authority of the stakeholders' in the ever turning leaves of the history of the game.

Every year we watch some new talents emerging on the international arena who is billed as a future superstar. The current campaign is also not an exception as we are privileged to watch the rise of Kylian Mbappe, Jadon Sancho and others. As we are approaching the mid-season in the current campaign, in this slideshow let us have a look into this season's top goalscorers from Europe's top 5 leagues, who are preparing themselves to put their hands on the Golden Shoe next year.

#23. Andre Silva, Sevilla, Spain - 8 Goals (16 points)

Andre Silva - The new prince of Portugal

Andre Silva is enjoying his loan spell with Sevilla since his transfer in the last summer from AC Milan. He has scored 8 goals with 3 match winning strikes so far in the campaign and is looking good for more as the season progresses.

#22. Iago Aspas, Celta Vigo, La Liga - 8 Goals (16 points)

Spanish league has always boasted of talent and Iago Aspas is a statement to the claim. The Celta Vigo striker has scored 8 goals and assisted with one to be in the list. He has also hit a match-winning goal against Eibar. His hattrick against Eibar has brought him into the contention for the award. Though he has miles to go to overtake the leaders in the list, yet he looks set to give a fight cometh the second half of the season.

#21. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal, Premier League - 8 Goals (16 points)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - The new hero of Arsenal

Aubameyang has inspired Arsenal to be in contention for the Champions League spot so far in this season. He is in fine form scoring 8 goals, assisting one and hitting two match-winning goals in the campaign. Arsenal is relying a lot on their new arrival.

#20. Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A - 8 Goals (16 points)

Ciro Immobile - Lazio's hero and hope to finish with a Champion's League Spot

Lazio in Serie A is showcasing an excellent fight for the Champions League spot, thanks to the inspiring Italian international, Ciro Immobile. He has scored 8 goals, assisted with 1 while hitting 4 match winning goals that put him up the list. He should not be taken for granted by any team.

#19. Borja Iglesias, Espanyol, La Liga - 8 Goals (16 points)

Borja Iglesias - The key personality in the rise of Espanyol

Borja is in fine form for the last one and half month and is consistent with scoring. However, he failed to help his team win despite scoring against Sevilla. He has scored 8 goals and assisted with 2 while two of his strikes were match-winning goals. He is on a scoring spree this season.

#18. Alassane Plea, Borussia Monchengladbach, Bundesliga - 8 Goals (16 points)

Alassane Plea - One of the heroes of Monchengladbach who is inspiring the team for the title chase behind Dortmund (Image Courtesy: Goal.com)

Alassane has been doing good in this campaign. He has seen his stocks rise after the hat-trick against Werder Bremen last month. He has scored 8 goals with 3 assists. He has 2 match winning goals to his name as well.

#17. Sergio Agüero, Manchester City, Premier League - 8 Goals (16 points)

Sergio Aguero - The prince of Manchester

Aguero is unarguably the prince of Manchester when it comes to goalscoring. He started the campaign excellently hitting a hat-trick just in the second game of the season. He has scored 8 goals with 3 assists. He has 4 match winning strikes to his name. Even with such performance, he is the only player from the Premier League to make it to the list. This indicates the rising competition across Europe in other leagues.

#16. Thorgan Hazard, Borussia Monchengladbach, Bundesliga - 8 Goals (16 points)

Thorgan Hazard has outperformed his brother Eden hazard in terms of goalscoring and assists this season in the Bundesliga. He has recorded 8 goals and 5 assists along with 2 match winning strikes. He is a serious contender to challenge the crown of Robert Lewandowski in the League.

#15. Marco Reus, Borussia-Dortmund, Bundesliga - 8 Goals (16 points)

Marco Reus - The Promising German Winger

The injury-prone winger has started the season with flying colors and it has to be seen whether he could maintain the momentum without getting injured again. He has scored 8 goals and assisted with 6 goals this campaign. One of his strikes were a match-winning goal.

#14. Nicolas Pépé, LOSC Lille, Ligue 1 - 8 Goals (16 points)

Nicolas Pepe - The Heart of Lille Midfield

Pepe has been the key attacking asset in the armoury of Lille. His scintillating finishing supported with the ability to provide crucial assists in the final third is drawing the attention of some big teams. He has 8 goals and 7 assists to his name along with 3 match winning goals.

#13. Paco Alcácer, Borussia Dortmund, Bundesliga - 9 Goals (18 points)

Paco Alcacer - Found his feet on the firm ground after moving from La Liga to Bundesliga

Paco Alacacer has been in scintillating form this season. He has scored 9 goals with 3 match winning efforts. His performance reflects the confidence of Borussia Dortmund, the team reigning the Bundesliga table at the moment.

#12. Edinson Cavani, Paris Saint-German, Ligue 1 - 9 Goals (18 points)

Edinson Cavani - The C of the CNM attack of PSG

Cavani is one of the pillars of the threatening PSG forward line, CNM (Cavani-Neymar-Mbappe). He has scored 9 goals with 2 match winning efforts and 2 assists put the cherry on the top for him.

#11. Luka Jovic, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bundesliga - 9 Goals (18 points)

Luka Jovic is a surprise inclusion here at the top of the list. His 5-star effort against Dusseldorf put him up the chart with a total of 9 goals to his name. Jovic is the youngest player to hit five times in Bundesliga history. He has 3 match winning efforts and 4 assists to his name.

#10. Luis Suarez, Barcelona, La Liga - 9 Goals (18 points)

Luis Suarez - The new El Classico hero of Barcelona

The other god of Barcelona's former famed MSN has emerged as the go-to man in the absence of you know who. Suarez has become the only man alongside the great Messi since Romario in 1994, who has scored a hat-trick in an El Classico against Real Madrid. With 9 goals, 4 assists and 4 match winners he is one of the front-runners in the Pichichi award this year.

#9. Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga - 9 Goals (18 points)

Once upon a time, there lived a king (better say God) named Lionel Messi in the heart of Barcelona who is not only one of the greats of the game, rather he would be forever remembered as one out of only a few players who are truly the greatest, the game has ever seen in its history. He has already claimed 9 strikes with 4 match winners and 4 assists this campaign and is set to ablaze the rankings in the second half of the season.

#8. Sébastien Haller, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bundesliga - 9 Goals (18 points)

Sebastien Haller - The new sensation of Bundesliga

Sebastien Haller has managed to stun everyone with his rise in the goalscoring front. He has scored 9 goals with 2 match winners and 6 assists. When you have matched the performance of two greats of the game who have ruled for a decade, you deserve plaudits. He is the one to watch for in the coming weeks in the Bundesliga.

#7. Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus, Serie A - 9 Goals (18 points)

Cristiano Ronaldo, the inspiration of a generation

Once upon a time, there lived a footballer named Cristiano Ronaldo. Period. Premier League owned, La Liga ruled and now Serie A is set to be conquered. Nine goals, six assists and 4 match winning goals at the age of 33 are just defying all the odds of decline and raising the bar of greatness with every passing day.

#6. Krzysztof Piatek, Genoa, Serie A - 10 Goals (20 points)

Krzysztof Piatek - Serie A's new striking sensation and Genoa's hope

When Cristiano Ronaldo switched teams, not many would have thought of a surprise table topper in the league that goes by the name of Krzysztof Piatek who is plying his trade with Genoa in Serie A. Piatek has taken the league by storm with scoring 10 goals including 3 match winners.

#5.Cristhian Stuani, Girona, La Liga - 10 Goals (20 points)

Cristhian Stuani emerged as the player whose inspired brace stunned Barcelona and handed them their first draw in the league at Camp Nou. He has scored 10 goals with 3 match winners, the same stats as Piatek, but a better goal ratio helped Stuani edge past Piatek.

#4. Florian Thauvin, Olympique de Marseille, Ligue 1 - 10 Goals (20 Points)

Florian Thauvin has risen to the international scene proving his mettle in Ligue 1. Defenders are having a nightmare in the league as the forwards are piling misery on the back line of opponents. Thauvin has scored 10 goals and provided 3 assists in his endeavour so far. With 2 match winning goals, he is sitting 4th in this ranking.

#3. Neymar, Paris Saint-German, Ligue 1 - 10 Goals (20 points)

Neymar is trying to establish his legacy in Ligue 1 in style. After an injury-marred first season, at PSG, he has started the second in style. Neymar has scored 10 goals and assisted 6 times to be involved in 16 goals in total. He has scored the maximum number of match-winning goals across the top five leagues in Europe.

#2. Emiliano Sala, Nantes, Ligue 1 - 11 Goals (22 points)

Emiliano Sala, the surprise package in Ligue 1, has joined the party at the top alongside Mbappe and Neymar to score goals for fun. The 28 years old Argentine forward along with the PSG duo has set the league on fire. He has scored 11 goals and provided 1 assist. He has scored 4 match winners in the process.

#1. Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-German, Ligue 1 - 11 Goals (22 points)

Kylian Mbappe - The rising star of World Football

The teenage sensation of the year is leading the race. Mbappe has been phenomenal since the World Cup in Russia. He is continuing his stellar form in the French Ligue 1 and has racked up goals for fun so far.

He has found the back of the net 11 times and assisted his teammates to find the same with 5 more. Out of the 11 goals, 4 were match winners. The highlight of his performance in the league was in early October when he hit 4 past Lyon in just 13 minutes.

With injury playing the villain, it will be interesting to watch if he could maintain the momentum throughout the year. However, right now he is reigning this list for the Golden Shoe

Courtesy: The data has been taken from Transfermarkt to prepare the list

Edited by Umang