Messi is not happy despite winning the European Golden Shoe for the 6th time
The Barca striker finished the 2018-2019 season with 36 goals, three more than his rival Kylian Mbappe.
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Messi is leading the list of players who have won the most European Golden Shoes with 6 times in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Rival C. Ronaldo is behind with 4 titles. Photo:Marca. |
This is the sixth time Messi has won the title of top scorer in European championships and the third year in a row he has won the Golden Boot. The Argentine striker learned the news on May 24 after the final round of Ligue 1 matches ended. Mbappe, who competes with Messi for the individual award, only scored one goal in PSG's 1-3 loss to Reims and finished second with 33 goals.
However, the Barca striker admitted that he was not happy with winning an individual award after his team's bitter defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals. "I don't have the Golden Boot in my mind. We are still in pain after being eliminated by Liverpool, at least I feel that way. I don't think much about myself at the moment," Messi said.
The 31-year-old striker warned his teammates that things would be even worse if Barca lost the Copa del Rey final against Valencia today, May 25. "This is a final, not winning would make us worse than we are now," he said.
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Messi and his teammates could not 'swallow' the shocking 0-4 defeat against Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals and were eliminated despite winning 3-0 in the first leg. Photo:USAtoday. |
Messi's Golden Boot win this year marks the 11th consecutive year the award has gone to a La Liga player. C. Ronaldo was the last player not playing in Spain to receive the award when he scored 31 goals for Manchester United in the 2007-2008 season. The Portuguese superstar then won three more Golden Boots when he moved to Real Madrid in 2011, 2014 (with Suarez) and 2015.
Messi is also the second oldest player to win the Golden Boot at 31 years, 11 months and 25 days. Former Mexican player Hugo Sanchez was one month and one day older when he won the award in 1990.
