Aside from receiving a winners medal, quite possibly the next best accolade on offer at this summer’s rescheduled European Championship is the Golden Boot.
Each of the last three winners of this award featured in the final itself. Therefore it could be wise picking from the contingent who are expected to go deep in the tournament. Antoine Griezmann being the last to do so.
Griezmann’s six goals in 2016 for France, who were beaten in the showpiece by Portugal, was the best return of any Golden Boot winner from the last eight tournament editions and is the benchmark for all those vying for scoring supremacy this summer.
UEFA Euro 2020 Betting at PaddyPower
Table of Contents
Four Golden Boot Contenders To Like
Harry Kane
England
34 goals in 53 international appearances
Euro 2020 Qualifying: 12 Goals
Record in 2020/21: 33 Goals for Tottenham (3.9 shots per game in Premier League)
Holder of the most recent Golden Boot award at international level, becoming the first English recipient since Gary Linekar in 1986 to claim the accolade, after netting six times at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The credentials of the disgruntled Tottenham Hotspur striker are among the very best at the tournament, if not the best around, and he comes into these finals in arguably the best form of his career.
Kane finished the 2020/21 Premier League season top for both goals and assists, on 23 and 14 respectively. He was also the leading marksman throughout Europe during Euro 2020 qualification, scoring 12 times in all whilst netting in all eight fixtures. Meanwhile, no team averaged a higher goals-per-game ratio during qualification than The Three Lions (4.63), who are among the favourites to reach the final.
Romelu Lukaku
Belgium
91 goals in 59 international appearances
Euro 2020 Qualifying: 7 Goals
Record in 2020/21: 30 Goals for Inter Milan (2.7 shots per game in Serie A)
Already the all-time record goalscorer for his country at the mere age of 28, Romelu Lukaku is among the most in-form forwards heading into the tournament following a stellar campaign in Italy. A return of 24 goals may not have been enough to see him top the Serie A scoring chart – that honour went to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (29) – but was integral to Inter Milan claiming a first league title for more than a decade.
Four goals from the opening two group games at the 2018 World Cup had quickly seen the former Manchester United forward installed as the Golden Boot favourite, only to fire blanks in all three subsequent appearances to finish two shy of Harry Kane. Another blistering start in a favourable section remains entirely plausible though, scoring in each of his most recent appearances versus Group B rivals Denmark and Russia.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
103 goals in 173 international appearances
Euro 2020 Qualifying: 11 Goals
Record in 2020/21: 36 Goals for Juventus (5.1 shots per game in Serie A)
The phenom that is Cristiano Ronaldo has shown no signs of slowing down, despite turning 36 earlier this year. CR7 is comfortably Portugal’s most successful and, still to this day, influential player, hitting the back of the net 103 times for his country. Of these, 11 came during qualifying – only Harry Kane managing more – while a further seven would see him become the most prolific goalscorer at international level.
When it comes to delivering at a European Championship, there simply isn’t anyone better. No player in the history of the competition has featured in more games (21), has more goals (9) or scored in more editions (4) than the Juventus man, whose 29 goals were at least five better than his Serie A peers in the season just gone. Moreover, he is likely to be on most, if not all, dangerous free-kicks as well as penalties.
Memphis Depay
Netherlands
25 goals in 63 international appearances
Euro 2020 Qualifying: 6 Goals
Record in 2020/21: 22 Goals for Lyon (3 shots per game in Ligue 1)
Between 1988 and 2000, a Dutchman topped the scoring charts – either outright or as a shared honour – in three out of the four European Championships that were held. This hasn’t been the case in any of the subsequent four editions, though, with this their first tournament since 2012 having failed to qualify for the 2016 finals. One man in particular could conceivably help them make up for lost time.
Last season, Memphis Depay equalled his best goal return since departing Holland in 2015, netting 22 times while still a Lyon player. With an imminent move away from France mooted, these finals represent an opportunity to showcase his talents. Depay returned a goal or an assist (6 & 7) every 38 minutes, on average, during Euro 2020 qualifying, the best ratio of any player. He is also a set-piece specialist.
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As reigning world champions, having finished runners-up to Portugal as hosts in the latest edition of the European Championship back in 2016, there is every expectation that France will have another big tournament. A sentiment supported by the fact most bookmakers consider Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus to be the team to beat, installing them as clear favourites in the outright betting.
Expect Kylian Mbappe, fresh from scoring 42 goals in 47 games for Paris Saint-Germain in 2020/21, and Antoine Griezmann to flank one of Olivier Giroud or Karim Benzema. This could mean the goals are evenly shared around, as was the case during Euro 2020 qualifying where Mbappe and Griezmann finished on three apiece – three fewer, however, than leading scorer Giroud.
German appeal rests with Gnabry?
Italy were one of two teams to boast a flawless record during qualification, while only Belgium recorded more goals scored (37 from 10 qualifiers). However, their leading scorer in qualifying, Torino’s Andrea Belotti, is not expected to start the first game at these finals. Meanwhile Ciro Immobile flatters to deceive on the international stage, with just 12 goals coming from 45 appearances for the Azzurri.
Robert Lewandoski is an exceptional scorer of goals but requires a creative team to sustain such ridiculous numbers. Poland were among the lowest scorer in qualifying though (1.8 per game), so the Bayern Munich record breaker can be overlooked. Conversely, Spain did average a healthy number of goals (3.1). However Alvaro Morata was among a trio of La Roja players to top score with a paltry four strikes.
Germany’s Timo Werner fared even worse for Germany, however, netting just twice from five starts. This in spite of Joachim Low’s men topping their section – above a useful if inconsistent Netherlands – with the third-best goal per game ratio (3.75). Instead, Serge Gnabry proved their most reliable goal-getter with eight goals – that more than the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Memphis Depay and Robert Lewandowski.
Euro 2020 Golden Boot Key Statistics
- England’s Harry Kane top scored at the last major tournament, scoring six times at the 2018 World Cup. The Three Lions forward was also the most prolific scorer during Euro 2020 qualifying, his tally of 12 one more than Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Of those set to feature at the Euro 2020 finals, no player recorded more shots on target than the 28 of Ronaldo. Finland’s Teemu Pukki and Russia’s Artem Dzyuba followed next on 21 each.
- No previous Golden Boot winner at a European Championship has ever successfully retained their crown. Bad news then for France’s Antoine Griezmann, the tournament’s leading marksman at the 2016 edition.
Euro 2020 Golden Boot Betting
Harry Kane – 9/2
Romelu Lukaku – 6/1
Kylian Mbappe – 8/1
Cristiano Ronaldo – 9/1
Memphis Depay – 16/1
Serge Gnabry – 16/1
Karim Benzema – 18/1
Alvaro Morata – 20/1
Antoine Griezmann – 20/1
Ciro Immobile – 20/1
Timo Werner – 20/1
Robert Lewandowski – 25/1
33/1 and above the rest.
All odds taken from PaddyPower, who are offering a £1 free bet for every shot on target that your selected player has during the tournament when wagering £10 on the top goalscorer market. For full terms and conditions, click here.
