The last 10 European Golden Shoe winners & where they ranked in the Ballon d’Or

Over the past decade, securing the European Golden Shoe has not consistently translated into winning the Ballon d’Or. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, leading the 2024-25 scoring charts with 27 league goals as of March 27, 2025, may face a challenging path to the Ballon d’Or, considering recent trends.​

Below is a summary of the last 10 European Golden Shoe winners and their corresponding Ballon d’Or rankings:​

*​As of March 27, 2025; Ballon d’Or rankings for the 2024-25 season are yet to be determined.​

2023-24 – Harry Kane – 10th in Ballon d’Or

In his debut season with Bayern Munich, Kane netted 36 Bundesliga goals, earning the European Golden Shoe. Despite this achievement, he ranked 10th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or standings. ​

2022-23 – Erling Haaland – 2nd in Ballon d’Or

Haaland’s record-breaking debut at Manchester City saw him score 36 Premier League goals and achieve a treble with 52 goals across all competitions. Nonetheless, he finished second to Lionel Messi in the 2023 Ballon d’Or, with Messi’s 2022 World Cup performance influencing voters.​

2021-22 – Robert Lewandowski – 4th in Ballon d’Or

Despite scoring 35 league goals for Bayern Munich, Lewandowski was overshadowed by Karim Benzema’s pivotal role in Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph, resulting in a fourth-place Ballon d’Or finish.​

2020-21 – Robert Lewandowski – 2nd in Ballon d’Or

Lewandowski’s 41 Bundesliga goals were remarkable, yet he placed second in the Ballon d’Or to Messi, who had secured the Copa America with Argentina.​

2019-20 – Ciro Immobile – N/A

Immobile’s 36 goals for Lazio were impressive, but the Ballon d’Or was not awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.​

2018-19 – Lionel Messi – 1st in Ballon d’Or

Messi’s 36 La Liga goals propelled Barcelona towards a treble and earned him the Ballon d’Or, narrowly surpassing Virgil van Dijk.​

2017-18 – Lionel Messi – 5th in Ballon d’Or

With 34 league goals and a La Liga title, Messi ranked fifth in the Ballon d’Or, influenced by the 2018 World Cup outcomes.​

2016-17 – Lionel Messi – 2nd in Ballon d’Or

Despite outscoring Cristiano Ronaldo with 37 league goals, Messi’s lack of major trophies led to a second-place Ballon d’Or finish behind Ronaldo.​

2015-16 – Luis Suárez – 4th in Ballon d’Or

Suárez’s 40 La Liga goals outpaced both Messi and Ronaldo, yet he placed fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings.​

2014-15 – Cristiano Ronaldo – 2nd in Ballon d’Or

Ronaldo’s 48 league goals were overshadowed by Barcelona’s treble-winning season, resulting in a second-place Ballon d’Or finish to Messi.​

These instances highlight that while the European Golden Shoe is a significant achievement, it doesn’t guarantee Ballon d’Or success. Factors such as team accomplishments and performances in major tournaments heavily influence Ballon d’Or outcomes.