Mohamed Salah remains firmly in contention for the European Golden Shoe as the Liverpool star prepares for the final two matches of the Premier League season, with a chance to eclipse current leader Viktor Gyökeres.
While Gyökeres has concluded his campaign in Portugal with 39 goals for Sporting CP—earning him 58.5 points under UEFA’s coefficient system—Salah is just 2.5 points behind, sitting third in the standings.
The Egyptian forward has scored 28 goals in the Premier League this season, which, due to the league’s top-tier weighting, earns him 56 points.
The Golden Shoe, awarded annually to Europe’s top scorer, uses a weighted system that gives more value to goals scored in the continent’s five most competitive leagues.
Goals in these top divisions, such as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1, are multiplied by two. Goals in leagues like Portugal’s Primeira Liga are multiplied by 1.5, explaining Gyökeres’ total despite scoring more goals.
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé sits second in the rankings with 29 goals, earning 58 points, and has one match remaining in La Liga.
Salah, by contrast, has two matches left in which he could surpass both Mbappé and Gyökeres.
The final games of the season will be crucial for Salah, who must score at least two goals to equal Gyökeres’ tally on points and three or more to claim the title outright.
Should he score twice, he would finish with 30 goals and 60 points—enough to move past both rivals, depending on Mbappé’s output.
Harry Kane, with 26 goals for Bayern Munich, is fourth in the rankings with 52 points, while Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski is fifth, having netted 25 times this season to secure 50 points.
Both Kane and Lewandowski have completed their domestic campaigns and cannot add to their totals.
The final standings remain delicately poised.
For Salah, a strong finish could not only bolster Liverpool’s ambitions but also earn him one of European football’s most prestigious individual accolades.
With two high-stakes matches left to play, the race for the Golden Shoe promises drama until the very end.
