UEFA Champions League: Top 5 Early Contenders For The Golden Boot

Excitement is through the roof, as the UEFA Champions League returns in a thrilling yet complex avatar on Tuesday, September 17. All 36 teams will be in action over three action-packed league Matchdays this week, trying to get the upper hand as they look to secure a top-eight finish and automatically qualify for the Round of 16. Teams finishing in 9th to 24th place will have to compete in two-legged play-offs to fill the remaining eight slots. Finally, teams ranking between 25th and 36th will bow out of Europe altogether.

Clubs will need all the help they can get from their superstar forwards to stay alive in the longest Champions League campaign in history. Heading into Matchday 1, we are backing these five players below to play a starring role and fight it out for the Golden Boot. Let’s meet them!

#5 Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan

Arguably the best player in Serie A right now, Lautaro Martinez has what it takes to win the UEFA Champions League Golden Boot this season. He remains on his toes, is excellent at attacking spaces, and is a sensational finisher, making him one of the most formidable forwards in the UEFA Champions League. If he gets enough support from his teammates, Martinez could score for fun in the most demanding cup competition in Europe.

Martinez, who has yet to open his account in Serie A this season, scored twice in the Champions League last season. Overall, he has played 44 times in the UEFA Champions League, scoring 12 times and providing five assists.

#4 Mohamed Salah – Liverpool

Liverpool is flying high under new manager Arne Slot this season, amassing nine points from four Premier League matches. Talisman Mohamed Salah is enjoying a lot of freedom in Slot’s familiar but different system and is looking like a man on a mission. The Egypt international has appeared in all four games in the English top flight this season, scoring thrice and providing three assists.

Salah has generally been a force to be reckoned with in the UEFA Champions League. During Liverpool’s last Champions League run in the 2022-23 season, Salah appeared in eight matches, scoring eight goals and claiming two assists. Over the years, he has played 79 matches in UCL, bagging 44 goals and claiming 15 assists.

#3 Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid

France and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is one of the finest forwards of the 21st century. He is lightning quick, is an excellent reader of the game, possesses otherworldly off-the-ball movement, and can turn produce a moment of magic out of thin air. Mbappe won the Champions League Golden Boot last season, scoring eight times in 12 games. Over the years, he has struck 48 times and provided 26 assists in 73 Champions League games.

Mbappe finally made his long-awaited switch to Real Madrid earlier this summer. However, things have yet to fall into place. He has looked uncomfortable playing through the middle and is waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to work out a plan that favors his talents. So far, Mbappe has played six games for Los Blancos, scoring four times.

#2 Harry Kane – Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich sharpshooter Harry Kane set the world alight with his performances in his debut season in the Bundesliga. The England captain scored a whopping 36 times and provided eight assists in 32 matches in the German top flight, deservedly winning the European Golden Shoe. He also proved his mettle in the UEFA Champions League, scoring eight times in 12 outings.

Despite enjoying the best season of his career, Kane finished without a trophy in 2023-24. Bayern and Kane are determined not to suffer the same fate this time around, and we believe they have all it takes to be successful.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man has gotten off to an electrifying start in the Bundesliga this term, scoring four times and providing three assists in three matches. Given the form he is in, it will not be surprising to see him score his 30th Champions League goal — currently has 29 goals in 44 games — against Dinamo Zagreb this Tuesday.

#1 Erling Haaland – Manchester City

Manchester City goalmachine Erling Haaland is easily the favorite to win the Champions League Golden Boot in 2024-25. The Norwegian striker has been a menace since he made his professional debut, but he looks downright devilish this time around. Since the start of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, Haaland has struck a whopping nine times in four games, outscoring every other team in the English top flight. He already has a couple of hat-tricks to his name and he is not in a mood to stop any time soon.

Haaland scored six goals in nine Champions League games last season, which is poor by his lofty standards. However, with Manchester City looking more tuned in than ever, we are expecting Haaland to set a personal record this season, beating his previous best of 12 goals (2022-23). So far, the 24-year-old has played 39 UCL matches, scoring 41 goals and providing five assists.