Lionel Messi: Europe's top scorer

There are a number of different metrics for calculating the top scorer in Europe this season; is it the top domestic league scorer, the top UEFA competition scorer or some other combination?

There are merits to every means of counting; join us as we explore the key leaderboards.

ESM Golden Shoe final standings

72 Lionel Messi (Barcelona, ESP) – 36 goals x 2 league multiplier
66 Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA) – 33 x 2
52 Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria, ITA) – 26 x 2
46 Duván Zapata (Atalanta, ITA) – 23 x 2
45Mbaye Diagne (Kasımpaşa/Galatasaray, TUR) – 30 x 1.5
44 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, ENG) 22 x 2
44 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München, GER) – 22 x 2
44 Sadio Mané (Liverpool, ENG) – 22 x 2
44 Nicolas Pépé (LOSCL Lille, FRA) – 22 x 2
44Krzysztof Piątek (Genoa/AC Milan, ITA) – 22 x 2
44 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, ENG) – 22 x 2
42 Sergio Agüero (Manchester City, ENG) – 21 x 2
42 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, ESP) – 21 x 2
42Luuk de Jong (PSV Eindhoven, NED) – 28 x 1.5
42 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus, ITA) – 21 x 2
42 Luis Suárez (Barcelona, ESP) – 21 x 2
42 Dušan Tadić (Ajax, NED) – 21 x 2

2017/18 winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, ESP) – 68, 34 x 2

How the figures are calculated
The ESM Golden Shoe rankings are based on league goals scored multiplied by a figure denoting the difficulty ranking of each league, which is calculated using the UEFA coefficient list. Only the top five leagues have a x2 multiplier; middle ranked leagues have a x1.5 multiplier, while the lower-ranked leagues are x1.

Top scorers in 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League (group stage to final)

Olivier Giroud has been in the goals in Europe for Chelsea©AFP/Getty Images

12 Lionel Messi (Barcelona, UEFA Champions League)
11 Olivier Giroud (Chelsea, UEFA Europa League)
10 Luka Jović (Eintracht Frankfurt, UEFA Europa League)
8 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, UEFA Europa League)
 8 Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla, UEFA Europa League)
8 Munas Dabbur (Salzburg, UEFA Europa League)
 8 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München, UEFA Champions League)
6 Sergio Agüero (Manchester City, UEFA Champions League)
6 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus, UEFA Champions League)
 6 Moussa Marega (Porto, UEFA Champions League)
 6 Dušan Tadić (Ajax, UEFA Champions League)

2017/18 winner: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, UEFA Champions League) – 15

Top scorers in 2018/19 men's senior UEFA football competitions (including UEFA Nations League, UEFA Super Cup, European Qualifiers and club competition qualifying)

Salzburg's Munas Dabbur©Getty Images

14Olivier Giroud (Chelsea and France)
13 Munas Dabbur (Salzburg and Israel)
12 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
11 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City and England)
 11 Dušan Tadić (Ajax and Serbia)
 10 Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla)
10 Luka Jović (Eintracht Frankfurt and Serbia)
9 Ally Mbwana Samatta (Genk)
 9 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München and Poland)
 9 Ivan Trickovski (AEK Larnaca and North Macedonia)

2017/18 winner: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Portugal) – 15

Top scorers in Europe's 2018/19 domestic leagues (including completed 2018 seasons in some nations)

Mbappé has hit 30 goals this season©Getty Images

36 Lionel Messi (Barcelona, ESP)
33 Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA)
31 Liliu (Nõmme Kalju, EST)*
 30 Zakaria Beglarishvili (Flora Tallinn, EST)*
30 Mbaye Diagne (Kasimpasa/Galatasaray, TUR)
29 Patrick Hoban (Dundalk, IRL)*
29 Robert Skov (København, DEN)
28 Luuk de Jong (PSV Eindhoven, NED)
28 Dušan Tadić (Ajax, NED)
27 Roman Debelko (Levadia Tallinn, EST)*
26 Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria, ITA)

*2018 calendar year season

2017/18 winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, ESP) – 34

Top scorers in Europe's 2018/19 top five domestic leagues

36 Lionel Messi (Barcelona, ESP)
33 Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA)
 26 Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria, ITA)
23 Duván Zapata (Atalanta, ITA)
22 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, ENG)
22 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München, GER)
22 Sadio Mané (Liverpool, ENG)
22 Nicolas Pépé (LOSCL Lille, FRA)
22 Krysztof Piatek (Genoa/AC Milan, ITA)
22 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, ENG)

2017/18 winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, ESP) – 34

Top scorers in Europe in all domestic and UEFA club competitions for 2018/19 (including completed 2018 seasons in some nations)

51 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
40 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München)
39 Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain)
38 Dušan Tadić (Ajax)
37 Munas Dabbur (Salzburg)
32 Sergio Agüero (Manchester City)
32 Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP)
32 Luuk de Jong (PSV Eindhoven)
 32 Liliu (Nõmme Kalju)*
31 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
31 Patrick Hoban (Dundalk)*

*completed 2018 calendar year season