Premier league’s joint top goal scorers Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa chase Pierre Emerick Aubameyang in the European Golden boot race.
Barcelona duo Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are on level with Chelsea and Arsenal stars while Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi also shares the same spot with 15 goals to his name.
EUROPEAN GOLDEN BOOT RACE:
- P.E. Aubameyang, B Dortmund — Goals: 16, Points: 32
- L. Suarez, Barcelona — G: 15, P: 30
=L. Messi, Barcelona — G: 15, P: 30
=D. Costa, Chelsea — G: 15, P: 30
= M. Icardi, Inter — G: 15, P: 30
= A. Sanchez, Arsenal — G: 15, P: 30
= E. Cavani, PSG — G: 15, P: 30
- C. Gytkjaer, Rosenborg G: 19, P: 28.5
- R. Lewandowski, Bayern — G: 14, P: 28
= A. Belotti, Torino — G: 14, P: 28
= G. Higuain, Juventus — G: 14, P: 28
= Z. Ibrahimovic, Man Utd — G: 14, P: 28
= B. Dost, Sporting — G: 14, P: 28
- A. Modeste, Koln — G: 13, P: 26
= E. Dzeko, Roma — G: 13, P: 26
= H. Kane, Tottenham — G: 13, P: 26
- J. Owoeri, Hacken — G: 17, P: 25.5
= A. Lacazette, Lyon — G: 17, P: 25.5
- E. Kabaev, Kalev — G: 25, P: 25
- J. Defoe, Sunderland — G: 12, P: 24
= A. Llullaku, Gaz Metan — G: 16, P: 24
= C. Ronaldo, Real Madrid — G: 12, P: 24
= R. Lukaku, Everton — G: 12, P: 24
= L. Teodorczyk, Anderlecht — G: 16, P: 24
= D. Mertens, Napoli — G: 12, P: 24
- G. Gohou, Kairat Almaty — G: 23, P: 23
- V. Rodionov, Borisov — G: 15, P: 22.5
= S. Andersson, Norrkopping — G: 15, P: 22.5
- C. Immobile, Lazio — G: 11, P: 22
= D. Alli, Tottenham — G: 11, P: 22
Edinson Cavani comes along with his 20 goals for Paris Saint Germain in the French Ligue 1 which is considered easier to that of other top leagues in Europe.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s quickfire 16 goals have earned him 32 points in the race leading the elite European group.
The five aforementioned leagues are deemed harder to score in by Uefa boffins and, therefore, a player’s tally is multiplied by two to get a final points total. While in the Ligue 1 it is multiplied only by 1.5.
Luis Suarez won last season’s award by 80 points with Gonzalo Higuain occupying the runners up spot with his 36 goals for Napoli.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed out the top two despite his 38 goals in Ligue 1 and sits 7th in this term’s standings with 14 goals for Manchester United.
Harry Kane’s 13 goals puts him joint 14th with FC Koln’s Anthony Modeste and AS Roma’s Edin Dzeko.
Jermain Defoe has hit an impressive 12 despite Sunderland’s travails this season — which is level with four-time winner, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kevin Phillips is the only Englishman to win the award with his 30 goals for Sunderland in 1999-00.
Cristiano Ronaldo shared the award with Luis Suarez in 2014 after both the hitmen scored 30 goals in their respective leagues.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang can become the first Bundesliga player to win the award after Gerd Muller in 1972.
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is aiming to extend his record of five golden shoes as Lionel Messi chases to make it four.