Goals are what defines football and to have a goal scoring player within the ranks can make all the difference in the world. Whether it be winning the championship or staving off relegation or even pushing for that final spot in Europe, goals and more importantly goalscorers are what can turn the tide.
Now that the 2015-16 domestic titles are decided, let’s take a look at the players who arguably had the biggest impact on their sides’ league outcomes – the Golden Boot Winners. For the uninitiated, the Golden Boot Winners are players who have scored the most goals in the league.
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While most of the players in the list have propelled their teams to league titles, there are a few who could not do so. Nonetheless, their achievement is by no means inferior to any of their counterparts’ as without their contribution, their teams would not have finished where they did.
So, without further ado, let’s jump right into the list of Europe’s Golden Boot Winners for 2015-16.
#10 Fyodor Smolov – FC Krasnodar (Russian Premier League)
26-year-old Fyodor Smolov has surprised many by ending up as the top scorer in the Russian Premier League. He outscored star players such as Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Hulk to win the Golden Boot. The FC Krasnodar forward fired 20 goals helping his side finish a creditable 4th.
The Russian international has been a wanderer of sorts having plied his trade across various teams including Dutch giants Feyenoord before finally making FC Krasnodar his home at the beginning of the 2015-16 season. And he would be hoping to continue in his rich vein of form when he dons his country’s colours at the Euros.
#9 Mario Gomez – Besiktas (Super Lig – Turkey)
Germany international Mario Gomez, who was recently recalled to his country’s national team for the Euros, has had an outstanding season in the Turkish first division for Besiktas. His 26 goals powered his team to the domestic title finishing above the more fancied Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. In the process, he also outscored some really top players including Samuel Etoo of Antalyaspor and former Arsenal, Manchester United and current Fenerbahce striker Robin van Persie.
The on loan Gomez, who has played for some big clubs including Bayern Munich and Fiorentina, missed out on Germany’s triumphant 2014 World Cup due to an injury. Hence, being recalled to the side for the European championship will give him another opportunity for international glory.
#8 Leigh Griffiths – Celtic (Premier League – Scotland)
The Scottish First Division had been a one horse race for most of this season. Celtic, one of the two most successful clubs in Scotland’s domestic football along with Rangers FC, danced their way to the 2015-16 title winning the league by 15 points. This was, thanks in no small part, to Leigh Griffiths’ 31 goals.
The 26-year-old Scotland international moved to Glasgow in 2013-14 and has been a star performer ever since. Apart being the top scorer in the league, he was also awarded the PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year and the Celtic Player of the Year for his outstanding goalscoring exploits in the season.
#7 Vincent Janssen – AZ Alkmaar (Eredivisie – The Netherlands)
In one of the most closely contested Eredivisie campaigns in recent memory, PSV pipped Ajax to the title on the final day. It was a two-horse race from the word go and hence it may come as a surprise that the top scorer for the 2015-16 season is from neither of these two Dutch giants.
The accolade has gone to AZ Alkmaar’s Vincent Janssen instead. His 27 goals helped his team finish 4th, thereby ensuring a Europa League play-off place next season. The 21-year-old Janssen, in his first season with AZ, has been one of the shining lights of their campaign. His impressive form saw him break into the Netherlands team in 2016 scoring a goal and an assist on his first international start in a friendly against England.
If the Dutch forward continues in his rich vein of form, we could soon see him in one of Europe’s bigger leagues.
#6 Jonas – Benfica (Primeira Liga – Portugal)
Brazilian striker Jonas Goncalves was arguably the difference between Benfica winning and losing the Portuguese league title. His 32 goals, along with his 12 assists, ensured that his side went on to beat rivals Sporting Lisbon by two points.
The former Valencia star was, throughout the season, a candidate to win the European Golden Shoe, an award given to the highest goal scorer in all of Europe’s national football leagues. He even led the race a few times but ended up finishing 4th. With his 2-year contract set to expire in the coming few days, it will interesting to see whether the Portuguese champions offer him an extension or whether he moves on to join a bigger club.
#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1 – France)
Maverick. Genius. Narcissist. Everything that can be written about Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been written. The Swede is the most talented player to come out of Scandinavia, and has won laurels across Europe with his breathtaking skills. Since joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, Ibrahimovic has scored 113 goals in only 122 Ligue 1 games for the Parisians and has been named the league’s player of the season in an astonishing 3 out of the past 4 seasons.
He has also been the top scorer in three of those 4 campaigns, including the recently concluded 2015-16 season, where he finished with an unbelievable 38 goals to help Paris Saint-Germain win the domestic title for the 4th consecutive time.
After announcing that he will leave PSG at the end of the season, many thought that the 34 year olds’ next port of call will be the MLS in the States. But if reports linking him with a move to Manchester United are to be believed, it would make for one last challenge for the controversial but undoubtedly gifted Swede to compete in the only major European league that he is yet to conquer.
#4 Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich (Bundesliga – Germany)
On September 22nd 2015, while playing against Wolfsburg, Robert Lewandowski scored 5 goals in 9 minutes, the fastest in any major European league since records have been kept. The Bayern Munich striker has not looked back since and has gone on to score 30 goals en route to winning the Bundesliga for the second consecutive year for the Bavarians.
A real poacher if there ever was one with a healthy knack of being at the right place at the right time, the Polish international has made heads turn with the sheer amount of goals he has scored since moving to Germany. In fact, he has the unique distinction of having scored more than 100 goals in Germany’s top division faster than any other foreign player.
His excellent conversion rate has obviously attracted interest from clubs around the world, the biggest of them being Real Madrid. While there is still a chance that he might be plying his trade at the Bernabeu next season, for the time being, Lewandowski can sit back and bask in his glory of being Bundesliga’s top scorer for the 2015-16 season.
#3 Gonzalo Higuain – Napoli (Serie A – Italy)
Argentine Higuain has been in breathtaking form for his side Napoli this season smashing a record 36 goals. Whilst he failed to propel Napoli to the Serie A title as they finished runners-up to Juventus, his goals were the catalyst behind the Azzurri’s sensational season.
The ex Real Madrid striker broke a 66 year old Serie A record for the most goals scored in a single campaign as he almost led his side to the Scudetto. Not surprisingly, his amazing form has attracted interest from major clubs around the world including Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
However, everybody in Naples, including coach Maurizio Sarri, will be hoping that Higuain stays put and helps his side win the league soon, something they have not managed to achieve since another Argentinean Diego Maradona inspired them to victory in 1989-90.
#2 Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League – England)
The brightest spot in the English football universe, 22-year old Harry Kane has been the talk of the town ever since he burst into Tottenham Hotspurs’ first team last year. With 25 goals to his name in 2015-16 following up on the 21 goals he scored last season, Kane has been nothing less than a sensation in his fledgling career.
His goals got Spurs within touching distance of the Premier League title but couldn’t get them past the finish line as his side eventually finished third after being overtaken by arch rivals Arsenal on the final day.
In spite of a disappointing end to what has been a truly amazing season, Harry Kane has well and truly announced his arrival on the big stage. The English fans will now hope that he can replicate his club form for country when the Euros begin in June.
#1 Luis Suarez – FC Barcelona (La Liga – Spain)
It takes a lot to take the limelight away from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But Uruguayan international Luis Suarez has done exactly that this season. With an astonishing 40 goals in 38 games, Suarez has become the first man to win the Pichichi award other than the aforementioned greats in La Liga since 2010.
His goals propelled Barcelona to another league triumph, their 6th in the last eight years, and also won the Copa Del Rey title when his side defeated Europa League champions Sevilla.
But more than his goals, it is his ability to get them in crucial games, such as the El Clasico at the Bernabeu, that has been his biggest contribution. Many, including Lionel Messi, were shocked that he was not named in the final three contenders for the Ballon d’or that Messi eventually won. But if Suarez continues to score like he has this season, the glory cannot be too far away.
