Messi close to La Liga top scorer double - European Golden Shoe
The goal against Real Madrid was the 33rd goal Messi has scored since the start of the 2017-2018 La Liga season.
Messi is still the leading player in the race for Pichichi (La Liga's top scorer). The second-placed player, Cristiano Ronaldo, has only scored 25 goals. With an eight-goal gap, CR7 will have a hard time catching up with Messi in the remaining three matches.
In the race for the European Golden Shoe, Messi also has a chance to defend his title. His strongest competitor, Mohamed Salah, has only 31 goals and only has one match left in the Premier League. With three more matches in La Liga, Messi can definitely improve his record and win the title.
Messi fired a left-footed shot into Real's net during the El Clasico match. Photo: Reuters |
Born in 1967, the European Golden Shoe has been awarded to many famous strikers such as Gerd Muller, Eusebio, Ronaldo (Brazil). Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two players who hold the record of winning the award four times.
Last season, Messi also won both the Pichichi and the Golden Boot when he scored a total of 37 goals in La Liga. The record for the most goals in a season is 50 goals, also belonging to M10 in the 2011-2012 season.
Eight players are leading the Golden Boot race:
1. Messi, La Liga, 33 goals
2. Salah, Premier League, 31
3. Ciro Immobile (Serie A), Robert Lewandowski (Bundesliga), 29
5. Mauro Icardi (Serie A), Edinson Cavani (Ligue 1), 28
7. Harry Kane, Premier League, 27
8. Cristiano Ronaldo, La Liga, 25