UEFA has announced a new policy regarding the Euro 2024 Golden Boot award, which will be shared between six players if Sunday’s final between England and Spain does not produce a clear winner. This decision comes after Cristiano Ronaldo controversially won the award at Euro 2020 despite being tied on five goals with Czechia’s Patrik Schick.
England’s Harry Kane and Spain’s Dani Olmo are currently part of a six-player tie with three goals each in the tournament. The other players in contention for the Golden Boot are Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Georges Mikautadze (Georgia), Jamal Musiala (Germany), and Ivan Schranz (Slovakia). Jude Bellingham and Fabián Ruiz also have the opportunity to top the scoring charts as they have scored two goals each.
In a departure from previous tournaments, UEFA has decided that the top scorer prize will be shared among the leading players unless someone can break the four-goal mark. This new rule contrasts with the previous Euro 2020, where Ronaldo was named the winner due to having registered an assist, which Schick had not done.
If no player reaches four goals in the Euro 2024 final, it will mark the lowest tally for a Golden Boot winner since Euro 2012. In that tournament, three goals were enough for Fernando Torres (Spain), Mario Gomez (Germany), and Alan Dzagoev (Russia) to share the award, with Torres being favored due to playing fewer minutes.
As Kane and Olmo are the favorites to take the lead in the final, the possibility of a shared Golden Boot remains open. This new policy adds an element of suspense and competition to the tournament, as players will have to push themselves to score more goals to claim the award outright.
UEFA’s decision to share the Euro 2024 Golden Boot among multiple players if necessary brings a new dynamic to the final stages of the tournament. It emphasizes the importance of scoring goals and encourages players to strive for individual excellence while also promoting fair play and sportsmanship. The outcome of Sunday’s final will determine whether the award will be shared or claimed by a single player, adding excitement and intrigue to the event.
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