And breathe.
24 matches and 94 goals into Euro 2020, the group stage is finally behind us, and we have a couple of days to gather our thoughts and get ready for the round of 16.
It has been a highly ranked tournament so far, averaging almost four goals per game, and the goals have been distributed fairly evenly – with only one player managing more than three over his three group games.
So what better time to take a minute to look back at the most prolific goal scorers to date and remind us who’s likely * to take home the coveted Golden Boot coming July 11th?
* To avoid it getting messy, we have set a criterion of at least three objectives so far. So apologize to Karim Benzema and Raheem Sterling and others, for whom there is still hope!
Ciro Immobile finally gets its first goal in a big international tournament! ? pic.twitter.com/YiCj1WVzSY
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) June 11, 2021
Only one 90 minutes the author piped Immobile for the Golden Boot before the tournament started. This was it 90 minutes Author.
It does not look like a particularly bad choice, given that he scored in both of his appearances before being dropped for the final game against Wales.
Have a word, Mancini. There are bragging on the line here.
???? ? ???????! ?
? That combination Malen x Depay … but should the goal have stood? ? #MKDNED | #ITVFotboll | # Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/G1ABqKRNkx
– ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 21, 2021
The Netherlands have started the tournament on fire and hit the goals left, right and middle through Group C.
They put in eight times from four different goal scorers to finish on a 100% record, and right among them was Depay, who scored two points and helped two more and recorded a goal mix in each of their three matches.
Forget the Golden Boot – he will also have an eye on the Golden Ball at this rate.
???????? ???? ?? ?????! #SWE goes two against #POL #ITVFootball | # Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/N2hlEBIG5B
– ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 23, 2021
Sweden is often the lazy “dark horse” when the euro comes, but this year it is not without merit. Janne Andersson’s team has been in great shape and navigated through a tough group to finish over Spain in top spot.
And while it is the young cannons and Our 21 stars Dejan Kulusevski and Alexander Isak who lead the accusation into the brave, post-Zlatan era, it is still Emil Forsberg at the center of Sweden.
The RB Leipzig man fired a double against Poland to take him to three for the tournament, and it would not be a surprise to see him take another goal or two against Ukraine in the next round.
WHAT. A GOAL.
Patrik Schick scores for the Czech Republic from the halfway line. # SCO 0-2 #CZE
??? Watch live: https://t.co/XJ464KbERY#bbceuros # euro2020 pic.twitter.com/p8DjWwZeVQ
Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 14, 2021
Much to the misery of the Scottish nation, that Schick’s goal against David Marshall will be played on the highlights for a long time to come.
It was only one of three that he has so far recorded in the tournament. He had silenced a fierce Hampden crowd with a nod earlier in the match and continued to score against Croatia to seal his side’s passage in the last 16.
No team has scored more goals than #DOWN on @ Euro2020? @GWijnaldum beats home his nation’s second in the game – and seventh in the group game ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ # MKDNED | #ITVFotboll | # Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/csgc9P7ilc
– ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 21, 2021
Liverpool fans, look away now.
Jurgen Klopp’s favorite son is now a PSG player and he is warming up for his move to Ligue 1 with a phenomenal European Championship so far.
He scored in the Netherlands’ initial victory against Ukraine and hit a poaching double against Macedonia, and although it is unlikely that he will be the one to get his hands on the golden boot in a couple of weeks time, you just can not control it.
Romelu Lukaku’s statistics for Belgium are just ridiculous! ? pic.twitter.com/DuQJfTSAKk
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) 13 June 2021
He was one of the favorites before the tournament to finish as the top scorer and he has shown exactly why with three inspiring performances to send Belgium through with minimal hassle.
Three out of three is the kind of return that Belgium expects from their attacking point of contact, and with Kevin De Bruyne fitting back and feeding the balls, you really would not be surprised to see him double his speech from here.
? The world’s best international goal scorers:
⚽️1⃣0⃣9⃣ Ali Daei ?? ⚽️1⃣0⃣9⃣ Cristiano Ronaldo ?? # EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/NRx7rCLqMC
– UEFA EURO 2020 (@ EURO2020) 23 June 2021
And then there is Ronaldo who is two goals ahead of someone else, because he is, of course.
Two penalties against France means that Portugal’s captain is a goal away from becoming the world’s best goal scorer in international football. And let’s be honest, he’s getting there, right?
With Belgium as the next step in the quarter-finals, Portugal could really do with him breaking the record at their expense.
