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

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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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.