Kylian Mbappe clinches first European golden shoe with Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappe has won the European Golden Shoe for the first time in his career after finishing the season as La Liga’s top scorer.

The French forward scored 31 goals in his debut campaign with Real Madrid, capping it off with a brace in their 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Saturday. Despite Real Madrid ending the season without silverware, Mbappe’s individual brilliance stood out.

The European Golden Shoe is awarded based on a weighted points system, giving more value to goals scored in Europe’s top five leagues.

While Sporting CP striker Victor Gyokeres scored 39 league goals, his efforts in the Portuguese Primeira Liga earned fewer points per goal, placing him behind Mbappe in the final standings.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah finished third in the rankings with 29 goals. He needed a hat-trick in the final game against Crystal Palace to tie with Mbappe but managed only one goal in a 1-1 draw. Mbappe’s 62 points edged out Gyokeres’ 58.5 and Salah’s 58.

Mbappe becomes just the third Real Madrid player to win the prestigious award, joining Hugo Sanchez and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo previously won it three times during his tenure at the club. Mbappe’s achievement is especially notable as it comes in his first season in Spanish football.

Victor Gyokeres, who has attracted transfer interest from Arsenal, ended his season the previous weekend, making it impossible to catch up. He added another goal in Sporting’s 3-1 win over Benfica in the Portuguese Cup final, finishing with 53 goals in all competitions.

Rounding out the top five behind Mbappe, Gyokeres, and Salah were Robert Lewandowski with 54 points and Harry Kane with 52. The Golden Shoe caps off a strong individual season for Mbappe, as he now looks ahead to further success with Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s Golden Shoe triumph also solidifies his status as one of the world’s top forwards ahead of a busy summer, which includes international duty with France at the upcoming European Championship.

With his move to Real Madrid already drawing global attention, his scoring prowess is likely to play a key role in the club’s ambitions for the next season under new management and in European competitions.