Top 10 Football's Greatest Goal Scorers besides Messi and Ronaldo

The European Golden Shoe is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, given annually to the top goal scorer across all European leagues.

While the competition has featured numerous prolific scorers over the years, two names stand out above all others: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. These two legends have redefined the art of goal scoring, dominating the award in recent history. However, the list of past winners includes many other greats, some of whom are often overshadowed by the Messi-Ronaldo era. Let’s take a look at the the history of the European Golden Shoe and the players who have left an indelible mark on the award.

The third spot in the all-time European Golden Shoe rankings is not held by a single player but shared by ten legendary figures who each claimed the award twice. These players, while perhaps not as frequently mentioned in modern football discourse, were once the most feared goal scorers in Europe.

1. Eusébio (Portugal)
Known as the “Black Panther,” Eusébio was a force of nature for Benfica and the Portuguese national team. He won the inaugural European Golden Shoe in the 1967-1968 season by scoring 42 goals, leading Benfica to one of their 11 Primeira Liga titles during his tenure. He repeated this feat five years later, netting 40 goals in the 1972-1973 season. Eusébio’s blend of power, speed, and precision made him one of the most revered forwards of his era.

2. Gerd Müller (Germany)
Gerd Müller, the “Bomber der Nation,” was one of the most prolific strikers in football history. He first won the European Golden Shoe in the 1969-1970 season with 38 goals, marking the start of an unprecedented period of success. Between 1970 and 1975, Müller won three European Cups with Bayern Munich, as well as the World Cup and European Championship with West Germany. He added a second Golden Shoe to his collection in the 1971-1972 season by scoring an incredible 40 Bundesliga goals, further cementing his legacy.

3. Dudu Georgescu (Romania)
Dudu Georgescu might not be a household name today, but in the mid-1970s, he was a goal-scoring machine for Dinamo Bucharest. Georgescu won the European Golden Shoe twice, first in the 1974-1975 season and then again in the 1976-1977 season. His 47 goals in the latter season set a record that stood for over 30 years. Georgescu’s clinical finishing helped Dinamo to several domestic titles during this period, making him a hero in Romanian football.

4. Fernando Gomes (Portugal)
Another Portuguese great, Fernando Gomes, was a lethal striker for FC Porto. He won the Golden Shoe twice, in the 1982-1983 season with 36 goals and again in the 1984-1985 season with 39 goals. Gomes played a crucial role in Porto’s dominance in Portuguese football during the early 1980s, and his goal-scoring prowess made him one of the most celebrated players in the club’s history.

5. Ally McCoist (Scotland)
A Scottish football legend, Ally McCoist remains the only player from the Scottish top flight to win the European Golden Shoe. He achieved this remarkable feat in back-to-back seasons, scoring 34 goals in both the 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 campaigns for Rangers. McCoist’s sharp instincts and poaching ability made him a nightmare for defenders, and his contributions were pivotal to Rangers’ domestic success during this period.

6. Mário Jardel (Brazil)
Mário Jardel was the first non-European player to win the Golden Shoe, achieving it twice. The Brazilian forward first claimed the award with FC Porto in the 1998-1999 season, scoring 36 goals. He then won it again with Sporting Lisbon in the 2001-2002 season, netting 42 goals. Jardel’s exceptional aerial ability and finishing skills earned him a place among the greats of Portuguese football.

7. Thierry Henry (France)
Thierry Henry is the only Premier League player to win the Golden Shoe twice. The Frenchman first captured the award during Arsenal’s unforgettable “Invincibles” campaign in the 2003-2004 season, scoring 30 goals. He retained the title the following season with 25 goals. Henry’s elegance, speed, and precision made him one of the most admired strikers of his generation, and his exploits with Arsenal are still fondly remembered by fans.

8. Diego Forlán (Uruguay)
Diego Forlán shared the Golden Shoe with Thierry Henry in the 2004-2005 season after reviving his career in Spain with Villarreal. The Uruguayan striker bounced back from a difficult spell at Manchester United to become a prolific scorer in La Liga. Forlán won the award outright in the 2008-2009 season, scoring 32 goals for Atlético Madrid. His ability to score from almost anywhere on the pitch made him a feared opponent and a beloved figure in Spanish football.

9. Luis Suárez (Uruguay)
Another Uruguayan star, Luis Suárez, won his first European Golden Shoe in the 2013-2014 season with Liverpool, sharing the award with Cristiano Ronaldo. Suárez then claimed the title outright two years later by outscoring his Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi with 40 La Liga goals in the 2015-2016 season. Between 2009 and 2019, Suárez was the only player not named Messi or Ronaldo to win the award, underlining his exceptional talent.

10. Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
The only active player among these legends, Robert Lewandowski has been a goal-scoring sensation well into his 30s. The Polish striker won his first European Golden Shoe in the 2020-2021 season by breaking Gerd Müller’s long-standing Bundesliga record with 41 goals. He retained the title the following year, scoring 35 goals. Lewandowski’s consistency and ability to score in various ways make him one of the most complete forwards in modern football.

Conclusion: The Legacy of the European Golden Shoe

The European Golden Shoe is more than just an award; it is a testament to the artistry and brilliance of football’s greatest goal scorers. While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the recent history of the award, the contributions of the ten players who share third place cannot be overlooked. These legends have each left an indelible mark on the game, reminding us that the beauty of football lies not just in the goals scored but in the stories behind them.