There will be plenty of star forwards vying for the Euro 2024 Golden Boot, though it’s worth noting that since Spain’s Fernando Torres in 2012, no player has won the top scorer award and the European Championship trophy in the same tournament.
Cristiano Ronaldo clinched the prestigious award at Euro 2020 with five goals and one assist, but Portugal fell short in the Round of 16, losing 2-1 to Belgium. Griezmann was the top scorer eight years ago with six goals but was unable to deliver France a third title after a disappointing loss to Portugal in the final.
This year’s winner will be hoping to evade the curse and help his nation to glory. With the world set to witness the best strikers battle it out on the Euros stage, which players rank as the standouts heading into the competition?
Olivier Giroud (France)
Giroud’s days of playing club football in Europe are over after his recent move to MLS side Los Angeles FC. However, he will have another shot at winning one more European title, this time for his country, France.
Age doesn’t seem to bother the 37-year-old, as evidenced by his 23-goal contributions (15 goals and eight assists) in Serie A this season. The all-time leading scorer for France has also impressed in recent major tournaments, netting four goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, only behind Lionel Messi (7) and Kylian Mbappe (8).
France are considered heavy favorites to win the Euros, and Didier Deschamps will count on his ever-reliable forward to deliver again.
Kai Havertz (Germany)
Havertz has been a joy to watch this season at Arsenal, helping the Gunners to a Community Shield title and consecutive runners-up finishes in the English top flight. Despite a slow start in front of goal, Havertz finished the season with 20 direct goal involvements (13 goals and seven assists).
He was particularly impressive for the North London club at the tail end of the season, hitting the back of the net nine times and providing six assists in his last 14 games. After a spell of lackluster performances since his move to the Premier League from Bayer Leverkusen, the 24-year-old appears to have finally settled into life in England.
His recent displays are good news for Julian Nagelsmann ahead of the Euros, and he will likely start at center forward for Germany this summer. Havertz will seek to add to his 16-goal tally for Die Mannschaft and hopefully propel the hosts to their fourth European title.
Alvaro Morata (Spain)
Say what you want about Alvaro Morata, but his 15 La Liga goals for Atletico Madrid last season prove he is still one of the best center-forwards in the league. He was the only player in the Spanish League to score five headers, a testament to his aerial lethality.
Spain are traditionally not known to rely on their center-forwards, yet Morata has scored 35 goals in 73 appearances for La Roja. The former Juventus man has also shown up for Spain in major tournaments, netting two goals at Euro 2016 and three goals at Euro 2020, including two in the knockout rounds. He also scored three group stage goals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Lois Openda (Belgium)
Romelu Lukaku might have stolen the show in the Euro qualifiers with 14 goals, but his compatriot might be the center-forward to watch at the Euros. Lois Openda had a season to remember at RB Leipzig, scoring 24 league goals in the Bundesliga and providing six assists. He also registered 62 shots on target, only behind Harry Kane.
He has two goals for Belgium since debuting with the senior team in 2022, although he has mostly played as a backup striker to Lukaku.
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
This might not be the best version of Robert Lewandowski, but the Barça man still managed to score 19 goals in La Liga this season, finishing joint-third with Jude Bellingham. He also provided eight assists and led the league in shot attempts and shots on target. The 35-year-old has been impressive for his country over the years, scoring 82 goals in 150 games. He scored three goals at Euro 2020, and could add more to his already outrageous 681 career goals.
Poland will kickstart their Euro 2024 campaign against the Netherlands on Sunday, before facing Austria and finally France. With their realistically slim chances of making it to the next round, they will heavily depend on their captain and talisman to produce some magic and hopefully lead them past the gauntlet.
Harry Kane (England)
Harry Kane had a dream start to life at Bayern Munich, despite enduring yet another trophyless campaign. The former Tottenham striker led the Bundesliga with 36 goals and also finished joint-top scorer in the Champions League with eight goals. The 30-year-old has been in Ballon d’Or talks for most of the season, and an impressive display in front of goal at Euro 2024 could help his case this year.
Lots of fans will scramble for England tickets to see the nation’s all-time leading scorer in Germany, and Kane is poised to put on a show. He already has a major international tournament top scorer award to his name, after winning the Golden Boot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and will look to add to his four goals in this competition.
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Kylian Mbappe is not a pure center-forward, but he has been lethal when called upon to play this position. Last season was another impressive campaign for the Frenchman, with a league-high 27 goals scored in 29 games for Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappe also helped PSG to a Champions League semi-final finish, scoring eight goals and securing his first UCL Golden Boot.
The FIFA 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner has yet to find the back of the net in this competition and will be determined to hit the ground running against Austria on Sunday. The 25-year-old already has 47 goals in 78 caps for Les Bleus, with a long career still ahead of him.
His dream move to Real Madrid this summer could motivate him even more to give his new employers a taste of what’s to come.
