Euro Golden Boot winners list: All the players to ever win the Euro Golden Boot

Since its inception in 1960, the European Championship, popularly called the Euros, has attracted hundreds of footballers who have scored spectacular goals for their nations. This article delves into the Euro Golden Boot winners, featuring players who scored the most goals in the past editions.

The UEFA European Championship is one of the most prestigious football tournaments. Held every four years, it gathers the best national teams from across Europe to compete for continental glory. The following is a list of players who won the Golden Boot at this legendary tournament.

Euro Golden Boot winners

Given Germany's upcoming hosting of the 17th tournament, this article looks back at the competitors who thrived in the European light. Sportsbrief has compiled a list of all Golden Boot winners in the Euro competition. Here are the European Golden Boot winners by the number of goals they scored, per One Football.

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18. Dragan Dzajic

• Date of birth: May 30, 1946
• Place of birth: Ub, Serbia
• Nationality: Yugoslav
• Goals: 2
• Edition: Italy 1968

Dragan Dzajic of Yugoslavia scored in the semi-final victory against England (1-0) and the final match against Italy (1-0). The final score was 2-0 in favour of Gli Azzurri, but thanks to his two goals, Dzajic won the tournament's Golden Boot.

17. Gerd Muller

• Date of birth: November 3, 1945
• Place of birth: Nördlingen, Germany
• Nationality: German
• Goals: 4
• Edition: Belgium 1972

With four goals, the most ever scored in the tournament's history, Gerd Muller was crucial to West Germany's first European Championship victory in 1972. The 1970 Ballon d'Or winner scored 68 goals in 62 caps.

16. Dieter Muller

• Date of birth: April 1, 1954
• Place of birth: Offenbach am Main, Germany
• Nationality: German
• Goals: 4
• Edition: Yugoslavia 1976

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West Germany defeated Yugoslavia 4-2 in the semi-finals of the European Championship, and Dieter Muller scored the tournament's first hat trick. Muller was named the Golden Boot winner for his four goals.

15. Klaus Allofs

• Date of birth: December 5, 1956
• Place of birth: Düsseldorf, Germany
• Nationality: German
• Goals: 3
• Edition: Italy 1980

Allofs finished the campaign as the leading scorer for West Germany with three goals as they celebrated their second championship. The left-footed forward grabbed a hat trick in the group phase, helping his side squeeze past the Netherlands.

14. Marco van Basten

• Date of birth: October 31, 1964
• Place of birth: Utrecht, Netherlands
• Nationality: Dutch
• Goals: 5
• Edition: West Germany 1988

The Dutch won their first-ever European Championship in 1988, with star player Marco van Basten taking home the Golden Boot with five goals. He scored in the semi-finals against Germany and in the final against the Soviet Union. Van Basten also bagged a hat trick against England in the group game.

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13. Dennis Bergkamp

• Date of birth: May 10, 1969
• Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Nationality: Dutch
• Goals: 3
• Edition: Sweden 1992

Dennis Bergkamp, a former Arsenal player, led the Netherlands in scoring goals in the 1992 Euro alongside four three others (Tomas Brolin, Henrik Larsen, and Karl-Heinz Riedle). Bergkamp's team advanced to the semi-final and beat Denmark in a penalty shootout.

12. Tomas Brolin

• Date of birth: November 29, 1969
• Place of birth: Hudiksvall, Sweden
• Nationality: Swedish
• Goals: 3
• Edition: Sweden 1992

Tomas Brolin helped Sweden qualify for the semi-finals in the 1992 edition before falling to Germany 3-2. The former AC Parma centre-forward scored in Sweden's group stage victories against England and Denmark and their semi-final defeat to Germany.

11. Henrik Larsen

• Date of birth: May 17, 1966
• Place of birth: Lyngby, Denmark
• Nationality: Danish
• Goals: 3
• Edition: Sweden 1992

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Denmark won the 1992 European Championships despite failing to qualify. They made it to the tournament following Yugoslavia's disqualification. Henrik Larsen scored twice against the Dutch in the semi-final and once against France to help his team advance to the final.

10. Karl-Heinz Riedle

• Date of birth: September 16, 1965
• Place of birth: Weiler im Allgäu, Germany
• Nationality: German
• Goals: 3
• Edition: Sweden 1992

Germany international Karl-Heinz Riedle scored in a 2-0 victory against Scotland in the group phase before netting twice against Sweden in the semis.

9. Alan Shearer

• Date of birth: August 13, 1970
• Place of birth: Newcastle upon Tyne, England
• Nationality: English
• Goals: 5
• Edition: England 1996

Alan Shearer, who now holds the record for the most goals scored by a Premier League player, led England to a semi-final finish in the 1996 Euro. He scored in every group match, including against Germany, Scotland, and Switzerland.

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8. Patrick Kluivert

• Date of birth: July 1, 1976
• Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Nationality: Dutch
• Goals: 5
• Edition: Belgium and Netherlands (2000)

Patrick Kluivert scored five goals for the Netherlands during Euro 2000, including a hat trick in a quarterfinal match against Yugoslavia. The ex-Barça striker also helped his team win in their group-stage matches against France and Denmark. Kluivert shared the Golden Boot with Savo Milosevic.

7. Savo Milosevic

• Date of birth: September 3, 1973
• Place of birth: Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina (at the time part of Yugoslavia)
• Nationality: Serbian
• Goals: 5
• Edition: Belgium and Netherlands (2000)

Milosevic scored in each of Yugoslavia's four matches at Euro 2000, helping them to advance to the quarterfinals. He scored twice against Slovenia in the first game and against Norway, Spain, and the Netherlands.

6. Milan Baros

• Date of birth: October 28, 1991
• Place of birth: Czech Republic
• Nationality: Czech
• Goals: 5
• Edition: Portugal 2004

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Milan Baros scored five goals for the Czech Republic en route to the semi-finals. He was the tournament's top scorer after netting five goals.

5. David Villa

• Date of birth: December 3, 1981
• Place of birth: Langreo, Spain
• Nationality: Spanish
• Goals: 4
• Edition: Austria and Switzerland (2008)

Spain won their second Euro title in 2008, beginning their golden era. David Villa was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and top scorer with four goals. Villa bagged a hat trick in the opening match against Russia and scored a single goal in the second match against Sweden

4. Fernando Torres

• Date of birth: March 20, 1984
• Place of birth: Fuenlabrada, Spain
• Nationality: Spanish
• Goals: 3
• Edition: Poland and Ukraine (2012)

Fernando Torres bagged three goals as Spain won their third European Championship in 2012. They also became the first nation to win the event back-to-back, having done it in 2008.

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3. Cristiano Ronaldo

• Date of birth: February 5, 1985
• Place of birth: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
• Nationality: Portuguese
• Goals: 5
• Edition: Held in 11 cities across Europe (2020)

After scoring five goals at Euro 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo, considered one of the best players of all time, won the Golden Boot Award. The Portuguese attacker scored twice against Hungary in their opening game. In the second match, he scored once against Germany and also set up another goal.

2. Antoine Griezmann

• Date of birth: March 21, 1991
• Place of birth: Mâcon, France
• Nationality: French
• Goals: 6
• Edition: France 2016

Antoine Griezmann had a sensational tournament at Euro 2016, netting six goals and assisting twice. Griezmann won the MVP and Golden Boot awards despite losing to Portugal in the final.

1. Michel Platini

• Date of birth: June 21, 1955
• Place of birth: Joeuf, France
• Nationality: French
• Goals: 9
• Edition: France 1984

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Michel Platini led France to their first-ever European Championship victory in 1984 after scoring hat tricks against Yugoslavia and Belgium. He is one of the greatest footballers ever.

Frequently asked questions

There is a wide range of skill and experience among the footballers who won the Euro Golden Boot. Here are the answers to all of the most pressing questions about Euro Cup Golden Boot winners;

What is the Euro Golden Boot?

The UEFA Euro Golden Boot is a prestigious award given to the player with the most goals during the tournament.

Who was the first player to win the Euro Golden Boot?

In 1960, François Heutte of France and Valentin Ivanov of the Soviet Union shared the first Euro Golden Boot, scoring two goals.

Who has scored the most goals in a single European Championship?

Michel Platini holds the record for the most goals scored in a single European Championship, with nine goals in the 1984 tournament.

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Has anyone won the Euro Golden Boot more than once?

No player has won the European Golden Boot Winner's award more than once since 2024.

Which country has produced the most Euro Golden Boot winners?

Germany (including West Germany) has produced the most Euro Golden Boot winners, with players like Gerd Müller (1972), Dieter Müller (1976), and Klaus Allofs (1980).

How often is the Euro Golden Boot awarded?

The Euro Golden Boot is awarded every four years after the tournament.

Who is the youngest player to win the Euro Golden Boot?

Dutch legend Marco van Basten is arguably the youngest to win the top scorer award at Euros. Van Basten won the 1988 Golden Boot at 23.

Final word

The UEFA Euro Golden Boot winners have earned a reputation for their outstanding scoring abilities. Each player on the European Golden Boot winners list has made an indelible mark on the sport's most prestigious stage. They are role models and inspiration to others.

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