Find out how many Golden Boots Messi has won and why the award remains a unique accolade in his legendary career.
Lionel Messi has won six Golden Boots. This makes him the player with the most Golden Boots in the history of soccer. And a truly exceptional point is that he’s also the player with the most Ballon d’Or of all time. As you’ll soon realize, these accolades are usually not as interrelated as a first impression could lead one to believe.
Lionel Messi has had an extraordinary career, he is the highest individual award winner, with 57 titles to his name. His most recent achievements include the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Men's Player award, both in 2023. Among his many honors, the European Golden Boot—a prize awarded each season to the top scorer across Europe’s major leagues—highlights his scoring prowess. But exactly how many times has Messi claimed this prestigious trophy, and what distinguishes it from other top honors like the Ballon d’Or?
Source: FC Barcelona
What is the Golden Boot?
The Golden Boot is awarded annually to the top goalscorer in Europe’s leading domestic leagues. Created in 1968 by the French sports newspaper L’Équipe, the award has since become one of the most prestigious honors for strikers and prolific scorers across European soccer. Since 1997, the award has been presented by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, with the winner determined by the number of goals scored in UEFA-affiliated national leagues. Each goal’s value is weighted based on the league’s strength. While goals scored in the five strongest European leagues (Spain, England, Germany, Italy, and France) are multiplied by 2, goals scored in leagues between the sixth and twenty-first position in the ranking are worth one and a half points. On the other hand, goals scored in the other leagues are worth one point.
At the end of each season, players are ranked based on their total points from goals scored. In the case of a tie, other criteria, such as minutes played, may be considered. Unlike awards like the Ballon d'Or, which takes multiple aspects of a player’s overall performance into account, the Golden Boot is a straightforward reflection of goal-scoring totals and does not consider additional aspects like assists, passing, or defensive play.
Golden Boot vs. Ballon d’Or: what’s the difference?
While the Golden Boot is simply based on goal-scoring, the Ballon d’Or is awarded to the overall best player and recognizes a broader range of attributes. Unlike the Golden Boot, which relies solely on measurable statistics, the Ballon d’Or allegedly considers elements like technical skill, consistency, leadership, and influence on the game, with a focus on how these qualities impact a player’s season.
The real difference between the Ballon d’Or and Golden Boot
But that’s just what the textbook says. Truth be told, the Ballon d’Or’s fundamental difference with the Golden Boot is that the Golden Ball is actually voted for by other soccer players—this is, the “co-workers” or colleagues of sorts. And when voting who’s the best, colleagues usually appreciate traits that are not goalscoring skills. Rodri, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Pavel Nedvěd, Kaká or Fabio Cannavaro are obvious examples of Ballon d’Or winners who’re not primarily goalscorers.
The truth is, few players who win the Ballon d’Or also lead in goals, and Messi is a rare exception. His eight Ballon d’Or titles—a record—mean he was topping polls while also stacking up numbers. This is a very, very rare combination.
As of October 2024, Messi has scored 849 goals (737 with clubs, 112 with Argentina) and provided 378 assists (321 at club level, 57 for Argentina). These contributions mark his direct involvement in 1,227 goals. In his career, he has assisted 86 different players, with top recipients including Luis Suárez (45), Neymar (27), Mbappé (20), Pedro (17), and Samuel Eto’o (15).
How many golden boots does Messi have?
Lionel Messi is the player with most Golden Boots to date, with a record six times. His Golden Boot wins span from the 2009-10 season to the 2018-19 season. This achievement places him ahead of his closest competitor, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has four Golden Boots to his name.
Source: FC Barcelona
Messi’s Golden Boot tally includes some historic seasons. In 2011–12, he scored 50 goals in La Liga, the highest single-season total in the league’s history, while scoring 91 in that same year as a whole, the highest ever in a natural year.
Here’s the rundown of every Golden Boot Messi has won:
|
📆 Year |
⚽ Goals |
💯 Points |
👕 Club |
|
2009/10 |
34 |
69 |
🇪🇸 Barcelona |
|
2011/12 |
50 |
100 |
🇪🇸 Barcelona |
|
2012/13 |
46 |
92 |
🇪🇸 Barcelona |
|
2016/17 |
37 |
74 |
🇪🇸 Barcelona |
|
2017/18 |
34 |
68 |
🇪🇸 Barcelona |
|
2018/19 |
36 |
72 |
🇪🇸 Barcelona |
Will Messi win another Golden Boot?
As Messi enters the final years of his career, the likelihood of him capturing another European Golden Boot diminishes. Besides his current focus on MLS—a league that does not qualify for the UEFA-based Golden Boot—today’s top scorers in Europe, like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, represent a new generation of athleticism and speed. Haaland, for instance, scored over 50 goals in his debut season with Manchester City, thanks to his highly attack-oriented system and his youth, which gives him a substantial advantage for future seasons.
You can get Messi’s own “Golden Boot” — The Join The Planet collectible boot
While Messi may not win another Golden Boot, there’s a new kind of boot that fans can own. The Join The Planet collectible boot is inspired by Messi’s legacy and designed as a tribute to his influence in soccer and his support to societal change.
Created with recyclable materials and dedicated to environmental causes, this collectible boot is a unique opportunity for fans to own a piece that symbolizes both Messi’s impact on the game and his off-field efforts to make a difference. The collectible includes a digital certificate of authenticity, an official replica of Messi's signature, and an acrylic display case. It is the perfect tribute to Messi's career.
Celebrate Messi’s legacy. Buy the Leo Messi collectible boot by Join The Planet today.