The UEFA Women`s European Championship is a pinnacle event in international football, a tournament where national pride converges with stunning displays of individual talent. Beyond the tactical duels and team triumphs, one narrative consistently captivates fans: the race for the Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament`s top goal scorer. As Euro 2025 unfolds, a new chapter is being written, with players vying to etch their names into the history books alongside the competition`s legendary finishers.
The Current Golden Boot Contenders
With the action heating up, the leaderboard for Euro 2025 is starting to take shape. Goals, the most valuable currency in football, are being traded on pitches across Switzerland, and a few players have already distinguished themselves as primary candidates for the coveted award.
Currently leading the pack is Spain`s Esther Gonzalez, who has found the back of the net an impressive four times. Her clinical finishing has provided a vital edge for her team. Closely pursuing is her Spanish teammate, the ever-dangerous Alexia Putellas, sitting on three goals.
A cluster of players follows with two goals apiece, including Norway`s Signe Gaupset and Frida Maanum, England`s rising star Lauren James, and Germany`s Lea Schuller. This group represents a direct threat, capable of closing the gap rapidly with just one strong performance.
Beyond the front-runners, a substantial number of players have registered one goal, forming a rather crowded club of potential future contenders should their form surge later in the tournament.
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Esther Gonzalez | Spain | 4 |
| Alexia Putellas | Spain | 3 |
| Signe Gaupset | Norway | 2 |
| Lauren James | England | 2 |
| Frida Maanum | Norway | 2 |
| Lea Schuller | Germany | 2 |
| Cristina Martín-Prieto | Spain | 1 |
| Ada Hegerberg | Norway | 1 |
| Vicky Lopez | Spain | 1 |
| Nadine Riesen | Switzerland | 1 |
| Arianna Caruso | Italy | 1 |
| Katariina Kosola | Finland | 1 |
| Filippa Angeldahl | Sweden | 1 |
| Esmee Brugts | Netherlands | 1 |
| Mariona Caldentey | Spain | 1 |
| Keira Walsh | England | 1 |
Note: 48 additional players are currently credited with one goal.
Echoes of the Past: Previous Golden Boot Winners
The tradition of celebrating the tournament`s most prolific scorer dates back to the inaugural event in 1984. Each edition has seen different players step into the spotlight, proving that consistent goalscoring is a timeless art form in football.
Looking back at previous tournaments reveals a diverse group of players who mastered the art of finding the net when it mattered most. The goal tallies required to claim the Golden Boot have varied, highlighting different eras and tournament structures.
| Year | Player(s) | Country | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Beth Mead, Alex Popp | England, Germany | 6 |
| 2017 | Jodie Taylor | England | 5 |
| 2013 | Lotta Schelin | Sweden | 5 |
| 2009 | Inka Grings | Germany | 6 |
| 2005 | Inka Grings | Germany | 4 |
| 2001 | Claudia Müller, Sandra Smisek | Germany | 3 |
| 1997 | Carolina Morace, Marianne Pettersen, Angelique Roujas | Italy, Norway, France | 4 |
| 1995 | Lena Videkull | Sweden | 3 |
| 1993 | Susan Mackensie | Denmark | 2 |
| 1991 | Heidi Mohr | Germany | 4 |
| 1989 | Sissel Grude, Ursula Lohn | Norway, West Germany | 2 |
| 1987 | Trude Stendal | Norway | 3 |
| 1984 | Pia Sundhage | Sweden | 4 |
Legends of the Net: The All-Time Top Scorers
While single-tournament heroics are celebrated, consistency over multiple editions elevates players to legendary status. In the history of the Women`s European Championship, two German forwards stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of total goals scored.
Inka Grings and Birgit Prinz share the distinction of being the all-time leading scorers, each having amassed 10 goals. Their paths to this milestone, however, differed significantly. Prinz achieved her tally across five tournaments from 1995 to 2009, a testament to her enduring quality and longevity at the top. Grings, by contrast, reached her 10 goals in just two explosive tournaments, netting six in 2009 and four in 2005.
Following the German duo are other icons of the game, including Italy`s Carolina Morace, Germany`s Heidi Mohr, and Sweden`s Lotta Schelin, all with 8 goals, showcasing the international spread of scoring excellence throughout the tournament`s history.
| Player | Country | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Inka Grings | Germany | 10 |
| Birgit Prinz | Germany | 10 |
| Carolina Morace | Italy | 8 |
| Heidi Mohr | Germany | 8 |
| Lotta Schelin | Sweden | 8 |
| Hanna Ljungberg | Sweden | 6 |
| Beth Mead | England | 6 |
| Alexandra Popp | Germany | 6 |
Chasing History: The Elusive Seven-Goal Mark
While the all-time record recognizes cumulative excellence, the single-tournament record highlights peak performance. Reaching six goals in a single edition of the Women`s Euro is a rare feat, achieved by only three players so far.
Inka Grings managed it in 2009, securing her place in both single-tournament and all-time lists with that dominant display. More recently, the 2022 tournament saw two players hit the six-goal mark: England`s Beth Mead, whose clinical performances powered the Lionesses, and Germany`s Alexandra Popp, who notably scored two goals in the semi-final. Despite these remarkable achievements, the challenge of scoring a seventh goal in a single tournament remains an open frontier, a record waiting to be broken.
As Euro 2025 progresses, all eyes will be on the attackers. Will Esther Gonzalez maintain her lead? Can Alexia Putellas or another player surge past? And perhaps, just perhaps, will this be the tournament where a player finally breaks the six-goal barrier and sets a new standard for single-edition scoring?
The Golden Boot race is far from over, promising more excitement as the continent`s finest goalscorers continue their pursuit of glory.
