Soccer superstar Lionel “Leo” Messi took home the 2016-2017 European Golden Shoe after ranking as La Liga’s top scorer. This marks the fourth time the Argentinian has won the coveted prize for the most goals scored by a player in a European league.
With 37 goals, Messi dominated Spain’s La Liga this season—continuing the reign on FC Barcelona that led him to three previous Golden Shoes. Since La Liga falls in the UEFA’s highest ranking difficulty bracket, the number of goals is multiplied by two and leaves the forward with the 74 points needed to beat all other top scorers in European leagues.
His four Golden Shoes place him in a tie with rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid for the most won by a single player. They also keep Barça on top as the club with the most Golden Shoes won. Messi puts his club at six awards—the two others won by teammate Luis Suarez last season and Ronaldo during his 1-season stint on Barça from 1997-1998.
Photo Credit: FC Barcelona
