The race for the Golden Boot at Euro 2020 is heating up as the tournament nears its conclusion, with the knockout stages due to begin on Saturday. If more than one player has the same highest number of goals, the winner will be determined by who has the most assists. If the players are still tied, the player who has played the least minutes will get it. Here are the top candidates.
Cristiano Ronaldo
With five goals, the Portugal captain is currently in first place. Portugal’s first encounter ended with a late double against Hungary, followed by a goal against Germany and two more against France in the final group-stage match. Ronaldo is a clear favorite to win the award, especially considering the fact that his country is likely to advance far in the tournament.
Romelu Lukaku
In a fantastic effort by both himself and his team, the Belgian opened his scoring with two goals against Russia. Lukaku scored a late goal against Finland to go to three goals for the tournament after failing to score against Denmark the following game. His side will face Portugal next, meaning he or Ronaldo will be eliminated in the final 16 of the competition.
Georginio Wijnaldum
Few would have predicted that the midfielder would be a contender for the award. Wijnaldum has three goals so far in the tournament. In Frank de Boer’s 3-5-2 setup, the 30-year-old has taken on a more forward role in midfield, which has resulted in him having more chances to score goals. Wijnaldum remains a dark horse in this race, since his team is anticipated to go far.
Ciro Immobile
Before being rested in the last group-stage match against Wales, the Italy forward had scored in each of his previous appearances. Immobile will have opportunities to improve on his goal score in the latter stages of the campaign, with Italy being potential dark horses to win Euro 2020. Next up for Italy is a clash against Austria, which would be another good opportunity for him to score.
Karim Benzema
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The French striker scored his first international goals since October 2015, against Portugal. Benzema took a bit to get going, but with France as one of the favorites to win the tournament. He might be a serious contender for the Golden Boot alongside former teammate Ronaldo.
