As the Euro 2024 kicks off, the coveted Henri Delaunay Trophy is not the only prize up for grabs. Individual players are eyeing the Golden Boot for the tournament’s top scorer. Here are some top contenders:

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)

Romelu Lukaku is a favorite after scoring 14 goals in the qualifying campaign, breaking the record for a single European Championship qualifier. Belgium’s all-time top scorer, with 83 goals in 114 appearances, is set for his sixth major tournament. He previously took home the Bronze Boot at the 2018 World Cup with four goals.

Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo is the Netherlands’ top hope. Gakpo was their top scorer at the 2022 World Cup with three goals, and he has nine goals in 23 international appearances. 

Gianluca Scamacca (Italy)

Gianluca Scamacca, after a brief stint at West Ham, has found form at Atalanta, scoring 19 goals last season. The 25-year-old aims to shine for Italy, having scored his first goal for the national team in a qualifying match against England.

Robert Lewandowski (Poland)

Robert Lewandowski, Poland’s all-time top scorer with 82 goals in 148 appearances, remains a lethal forward. With over 600 career goals, the 35-year-old aims to make an impact in his sixth major tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

At 39, Cristiano Ronaldo remains a force. The all-time top scorer in international football with 128 goals will compete in his 12th international tournament. He seeks to defend his Golden Boot title from Euro 2020, where he scored five goals.

Harry Kane (England)

England captain Harry Kane, coming off a prolific season with Bayern Munich (45 goals in 45 games), is a strong contender. England’s all-time top scorer is crucial to their hopes of ending a 58-year trophy drought.

Kylian Mbappe (France)

Kylian Mbappe, the bookies’ favorite, has 46 goals in 77 appearances for France. The 25-year-old won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup with eight goals and aims to replicate that success.

Other notable contenders include Rasmus Hojlund (Denmark), Scott McTominay (Scotland), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbia), Zeki Amdouni (Switzerland), Alvaro Morata (Spain), and Niclas Fullkrug (Germany). With such a wealth of attacking talent, the race for the Golden Boot promises to be as thrilling as the tournament itself.