Fourth Golden Shoe for Leo Messi

Leo Messi continues to break records in insatiable fashion. The Argentine adds a fourth European Golden Shoe award for top league scorer on the continent thanks to his 37 goals in 34 games in 2016/17.

The Barça number 10 takes the prize ahead of Sporting Lisbon striker Bas Dost who scored 34 goals during the season. Following the top two come Borrusia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on 31, Robert Lewamdowski of Bayern Munich on 30 and Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur one behind on 29 where we also find another Barça player, Luis Suárez. 

Fourth Golden Shoe in eight years

This is the fourth time in eight years that Leo Messi has won the European Golden Shoe. His first came in 2009/10 with a total of 34 goals; two seasons later he claimed the award with a record breaking 50 goals in the league in one single season. In 2012/13 he once again ended the season as top league scorer in Europe with 46 goals. Messi’s team mate Luis Suárez has also won the European Golden Shoe on two occasions: first with his 31 goals for Liverpool in 2013/14 and then last season with his total of 40 for FC Barcelona.

The Argentine has also been crowned ‘Pitxitxi’ (top scorer in the Spanish First Division) for the fourth time in his career. That brings him level with Puskas and leaves him one behind Quini, Di Stéfano and Hugo Suárez and two behind all-time leader Zarra.

500 goals with Barça and top scorer

Aside from being top in Spain and in Europe, Messi has also reached 500 goals as a Barça player this season, against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabéu no less with his winner in the last minute. In all competition this season the Argentine has scored 53 goals, 37  in the league, 11 in the Champions League, 4 in the Copa del Rey and 1 in the Spanish Super Cup.