FCBARCELONA.CAT

18.01.2010 12:01

Messi eyes Golden Boot

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Leo Messi is having a great season in front of goal. Apart from being top scorer in the Spanish league, along David Villa (14 goals), he is among the leading scorers in Europe.

After a fabulous 2009, possibly the only individual award that Messi still lacks is the Golden Boot for Europe’s top goal scorer. In the Spanish league he’s scored 14 goals in 18 matches, making him the top scorer along with David Villa. He currently stands in 3rd place in the Golden Boot ranking.

Rooney, first

The two players who are ahead of Messi in the race for the Golden Boot have both played more matches than him. In first place is Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) with 15 goals in 22 matches. Next comes Kris Boyd (Glasgow Rangers) with 19 goals in 20 matches. However, the coefficient of the Scottish league is lower than that of the Spanish league so Boyd only leads Messi by half a point.

It is important to remember that there are two players, Welliton (Spartak Moscow) and Kristaps Grebis (Liepajas Metalurg), have better figures. However, both the Russian and Lithuanian Leagues have now finished meaning that neither player will be able to improve their current rating (31.5 and 30 respectively).

Breaking all records

Leo Messi, who won the Golden Ball and the FIFA World Player in 2009, wrote a new page in the history of FC Barcelona on Saturday when he became the youngest ever player to score his 100th competitive Barça goal. Now he has a fresh challenge – to become the second Barça player to win the Golden Boot. The only Barça player to have won the award was Ronaldo, thanks to his 34 goals in the 1996/97 season.

Download the Messi 101 goals wallpaper by clicking here .