The UEFA European Championship has consistently showcased some of football’s most iconic figures, many of whom have distinguished themselves as top scorers. While an official award for the tournament’s leading scorer wasn’t established until EURO ’96, the legacy of these prolific goal-getters stretches back to the very first tournament in 1960. Let’s delve into the history of the Euro Top Scorers, celebrating the players who have illuminated the tournament with their goalscoring prowess.
Early EURO Goal Kings (1960-1992)
The inaugural EURO in 1960 saw a quintet of players share the top scorer title, each netting two goals: François Heutte (France), Viktor Ponedelnik (USSR), Valentin Ivanov (USSR), Dražan Jerković (Yugoslavia), and Milan Galić (Yugoslavia). The 1964 tournament in Spain also resulted in a three-way tie with Jesús María Pereda (Spain), Ferenc Bene (Hungary), and Deszö Novák (Hungary) all scoring twice. In 1968, Dragan Džajić of Yugoslavia claimed the solo honour with two goals.
The 1970s witnessed the emergence of German firepower. Gerd Müller led the scoring charts in 1972 with four goals, a feat matched by his compatriot Dieter Müller in 1976. Klaus Allofs continued the West German dominance in 1980, topping the list with three goals.
Michel Platini set a remarkable record in 1984, scoring nine goals for France, a tally that remains unsurpassed in a single EURO tournament. Marco van Basten of the Netherlands took the crown in 1988 with five goals. EURO 1992 saw another shared title, with Henrik Larsen (Denmark), Karl-Heinz Riedle (Germany), Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands), and Tomas Brolin (Sweden) each scoring three times.
The Golden Boot Era and Beyond (1996-Present)
EURO ’96 marked the introduction of the official top scorer award, with England’s Alan Shearer claiming the inaugural Golden Boot on home turf with five goals. The trend of five goals continued as Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands) and Savo Milošević (Yugoslavia) shared the honour in 2000, and Milan Baroš (Czech Republic) won it outright in 2004.
In 2008, David Villa of Spain led the charts with four goals. EURO 2012 saw a high number of joint top scorers – Fernando Torres (Spain), Alan Dzagoev (Russia), Mario Gomez (Germany), Mario Mandžukić (Croatia), Mario Balotelli (Italy), and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), all with three goals. Torres received the Golden Boot due to having an assist and playing fewer minutes.
Antoine Griezmann of France was the standout scorer at EURO 2016 with six goals. EURO 2020 saw Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Patrik Schick (Czechia) jointly top the scoring charts with five goals each, Ronaldo taking the award due to an assist.
The most recent EURO 2024 saw a striking six-way tie for top scorer, with Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Harry Kane (England), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Georges Mikautadze (Georgia), Dani Olmo (Spain), and Ivan Schranz (Slovakia) all finding the net three times.
All-Time EURO Scoring Records
Cristiano Ronaldo stands as the all-time leading scorer in EURO final tournaments with 14 goals, far ahead of Michel Platini in second place with 9. Antoine Griezmann, Alan Shearer, Álvaro Morata, and Harry Kane are tied in third place with 7 goals each, showcasing the consistent goalscoring threat these players have posed over multiple tournaments.
When including qualifying matches, Cristiano Ronaldo’s dominance is even more pronounced, with a staggering 55 goals. Harry Kane follows in second place with 30, highlighting his prolific scoring record in recent years.
Michel Platini’s single-tournament record of 9 goals in 1984 remains a high benchmark, demonstrating an exceptional level of goalscoring form within a single EURO campaign.
Player of the Tournament
Since 1996, UEFA has also recognised the Player of the Tournament, celebrating overall excellence beyond just goalscoring. Past winners include legends like Matthias Sammer, Zinédine Zidane, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta. Gianluigi Donnarumma was notably the first goalkeeper to win the award in 2020, and in 2024 Rodri took home the honour. While the EURO top scorers are celebrated for their goals, the Player of the Tournament award acknowledges the most impactful player across all facets of the game.
The EURO top scorer title is a prestigious accolade, recognising the strikers and attacking players who rise to the occasion on the grand European stage. From shared honours in the early years to the Golden Boot era, these players have written their names into EURO folklore, and their goalscoring exploits remain a key part of the tournament’s rich history.
