Harry Kane will be hoping to lift more than just the Euro 2024 trophy on Sunday after England booked their place in a second major tournament final in three years.
The England captain scored his 66th international goal from the spot after a controversial penalty was awarded to get England back on level terms with the Netherlands in Wednesday night’s semi-final.
The goal, his third of the tournament, puts the Bayern Munich marksman firmly in the hunt for the Golden Boot after moving to joint-top of the standings with five others.
And Kane will have the opportunity to win it outright on Sunday after Ollie Watkins, who replaced him with 10 minutes to play, slotted home the winner for England at the death.
England will play Spain in Berlin tonight and Kane won’t be the only man on the pitch hoping to scoop up the award whose previous winners include Gerd Muller, Alan Shearer and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mail Sport looks at all the candidates in the hunt for Euro 2024’s Golden Boot.
Harry Kane is in the running for the Euro 2024 Golden Boot thanks to his three goals so far
The leaders
Dani Olmo
Spain’s Dani Olmo, who also plies his domestic trade in Germany for RB Leipzig, has been one of the tournament’s standout players.
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The 26-year-old thought he would be leading the way in the Golden Boot race thanks to his superior assist tally (two) supplementing his three goals. However, UEFA recently announced that the prize will be shared among all equal scorers.
The latest of his goals completed a four-minute turnaround in the other semi-final against France on Tuesday. Olmo showed silky footwork in the French box before drilling the ball home, via a deflection from Jules Koundé.
It builds on his contribution in La Roja’s 4-1 triumph over Georgia in the last 16 and opener against tournament hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.
His performances are rumoured to have attracted the attention of several European clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester City.
Dani Olmo has been one of the standout players for Spain and is an unexpected contender
Harry Kane
By contrast, despite matching Olmo’s goal tally on Wednesday night Harry Kane has had what many perceive as a quiet tournament after his record breaking first season with Bayern.
Wednesday night’s 18th-minute penalty, alongside his group-stage opener against Denmark and his extra-time winner in the last 16 against Slovakia, has unexpectedly put him in with a genuine chance of winning his second international Golden Boot.
The England captain, who claimed the award at the 2018 World Cup with six goals, has been heavily criticised for his performances at Euro 2024.
He has been substituted in four of England’s six matches and there has been repeated calls for him to be dropped from the starting lineup. Kane has rebuffed his critics, saying: ‘There’s been question marks over my fitness or form at the last couple of major tournaments. I think it’s part and parcel of them.’
England’s all-time leading scorer will be hoping to become the country’s first captain since Sir Bobby Moore to lift silverware on Sunday.
Kane’s tally has been bolstered by two penalty kicks, including in the semi-final win over the Netherlands
The chasers
Beyond Kane and Olmo, two others likely to feature on Sunday are hoping to get their hands on the Golden Boot. They could still win it outright or be involved in a potential eight-way share of the award.
Fabian Ruiz
Spain’s Fabian Ruiz trails his counterpart Olmo and Kane with two goals.
He knows how to find the net in the German capital after scoring in Spain’s opening match of the tournament at the Olympiastadion against Croatia.
Ruiz doubled their advantage after bursting into the box and firing a low strike beyond Dominik Livakovic.
It was a goal which helped set the mesmerising standard of football that has propelled his country into its first major men’s final for 12 years.
Ruiz’s second, a second-half header from close range, put Spain on the front-foot against Georgia in the last 16.
Fabian Ruiz has been bossing the midfield for Spain and has two goals for his efforts to date
Jude Bellingham
The Three Lions’ golden boy, Jude Bellingham, matches Ruiz’s tournament tally.
He is a household name in Spain after an incredible debut season at Real Madrid. He helped them win LaLiga and the Champions League, earning individual accolades in the process.
Bellingham got England off the mark with a header in their opener against Serbia, before rescuing their tournament with a sublime overhead kick in the dying seconds of their last 16 tie against Slovakia.
He was an unused substitute for the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
Jude Bellingham is among the players who could finish in an eight-way tie for the Golden Boot
The others
There are four players who will be awarded with joint honours if Olmo and Bellingham fail to find the net in the final in Berlin.
Georges Mikautadze
Georges Mikautadze’s treble was instrumental in helping Georgia reach the knockout stages of their first major tournament.
He got his country back on level terms against Turkey and Czechia – albeit the former proving to be in vain – before making sure his team reached the last 16 from the spot in their 2-0 victory over Portugal.
Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze, who is reportedly signing for Monaco, did himself every favour in the shop window
Cody Gakpo
Cody Gakpo was also being touted as a likely candidate to win the Golden Boot race outright, although he failed to add to his tally before the Netherlands’ elimination.
The Liverpool winger had an impressive individual tournament nonetheless, bagging equalisers in the Oranje’s first and final group games against Poland (won 2-1) and Austria (lost 3-2) respectively.
He also opened the scoring in their last 16 tie against Romania.
Cody Gakpo lit up Euro 2024 with his performances for the Netherlands, bagging three goals
Ivan Schranz
A 75% goal conversion rate gives Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz some impressive statistics alongside his treble.
He scored the only goal in their famous victory over Belgium in Frankfurt, along with the opener in their loss to Ukraine – which left all teams in group E on four points each.
Most notably, Schranz was ever so close to sending England home in the last 16 after slotting the ball past Jordan Pickford in the 25th minute.
Ivan Schranz was close to sending England home in the last 16 after scoring for Slovakia
Jamal Musiala had Germany fans believing they could go all the way until Spain beat them
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Jamal Musiala
Finally, Jamal Musiala was the home nation’s torchbearer of hope for tournament glory after his powerful effort in the first match against Scotland.
The former Chelsea and England youth talent got the opener in Germany’s next game, a 2-0 victory over Hungary, before making sure of their place in the quarter-finals after doubling their lead in the interrupted last-16 match against Denmark.
