Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and the leading Golden Shoe contenders - in pictures

Barcelona forward Messi leads the 2018/19 standings and is aiming to win his third successive Golden Shoe as well as his sixth overall

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona), 33 goals, 66 points. Chasing a third Golden Shoe, Messi’s goalscoring repertoire seems to get broader and broader. Reuters

2. Kylian Mbappé (PSG), 30 goals, 60 points. Armed with a World Cup winners medal and just 19 when he started the season, Mbappe has made himself PSG’s main man. EPA

3. Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), 22 goals, 44 points. Previously a scorer of spectacular goals, now, at a ripe old 36, suddenly Serie A’s most reliable finisher. Getty Images

4. Mbaye Diagne (Galatasaray). 28 goals, 42 points. The Senegalese’s 32 goals in 11 months with Kasimpasa in Turkey earned him a January move to Galatasary, where he has eight in 11 games. Reuters

5. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich). 21 goals, 42 points. Evergreen target man of the Bundesliga aiming for a seventh championship and to be his league’s top marksman for a fourth time. Reuters

6. Krzysztof Piatek (AC Milan). 21 goals, 42 points. The 23-year-old made an electric start - nine goals in six - then changed clubs, from Genoa to Milan in January, with no significant dip in form. Getty Images

7. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid). 21 goals, 42 games. In his 10th year at Real Madrid, Benzema is eyeing his best ever tally for Liga goals in a season. He needs three more to match it. Getty Images

8. Luuk De Jong (PSV Eindhoven). 27 goals, 40.5 points. The Dutchman, who had less-than-prolific spells in Germany and England, has six goals from his last five outings. Getty Images

9. Luis Suarez (Barcelona). 20 goals, 40 points. Twice a former winner of the Golden Shoe, the Uruguayan seems content to play second-fiddle to Messi. His reward may yet be a second Treble. AFP

10. Duvan Zapata (Atalanta). 20 goals, 40 points. Zapata did not make Colombia’s World Cup squad last summer. He would now, having blossomed on loan from Sampdoria at a dynamic Atalanta. Reuters

11th (joint). Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Man City), Nicolas Pepe (Lillie). All 19 goals, 38 points.

At the end of each season, the top-scorer from Europe's top-flight leagues is awarded the Golden Shoe award. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi leads the 2018/19 standings and is aiming to win his third successive Golden Shoe as well as his sixth overall.

With just a few matches left, Ian Hawkey takes a look at the leading contenders in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next image, click on the arrows or thumbnails. If you're using a mobile device, simply swipe.