Harry Diamond
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang has enjoyed another prolific season at the Emirates and trails only Leicester’s Jamie Vardy in the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
The Gabon international won the award last season in the division’s first three-way tie for two decades, finishing as the Premier League’s leading scorer alongside Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Aubameyang’s fine form so far this season has seen the forward close in on the possibility of retaining the accolade, a feat previously achieved by just six players throughout Premier League history.
Here are the six players to retain the Premier League’s Golden Boot:
Alan Shearer – 1995, 1996 & 1997
The greatest goalscorer in the history of the division, Shearer’s tally of 260 Premier League goals is a figure many feel may never be matched.
Shearer made an immediate mark on the top flight following a British transfer-record move to Blackburn ahead of the division’s inaugural season, scoring prolifically during a four-year spell at Ewood Park.
The forward’s first Golden Boot came during the club’s famed title-winning season in 1995, before Shearer retained the accolade the following year with a career-best haul of 34 league goals, a joint-record for most goals scored in a Premier League season.
The only player in the league’s history to score 30+ goals in more than one season, Shearer achieved the feat in three consecutive years before a world-record move to boyhood club Newcastle.
Shearer’s debut season at St James’ Park saw Newcastle finish as runners-up, their title challenge fired by their marquee signing as the forward secured a third consecutive Golden Boot.
Michael Owen – 1998 & 1999
An injury-hit season for the aforementioned Shearer ensured an open race to finish as the division’s leading scorer during the 1997/98 season, a campaign which saw a three-way tie for the award as Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton shared the honour alongside teenage sensation Owen.
Owen burst onto the scene at Liverpool to cause great excitement amongst Premier League fans, scoring 18 league goals to win the Golden Boot alongside the PFA Young Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season awards.
Possessing a fearless mentality and Olympian-esque pace, a teenage Owen was a truly frightening proposition for top-flight defences and he followed his breakthrough campaign with another 18-goal haul and a second Golden Boot the following season.
Remarkably, his second honour also came in the form of a three-way tie, finishing level at the top of the goalscoring charts alongside Manchester United’s Dwight Yorke and Leeds’ Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Thierry Henry – 2004, 2005 & 2006
Arguably the finest footballer the Premier League has seen, Henry’s four Golden Boot awards remains a divisional record whilst he is one of just two players – alongside Alan Shearer – to win the accolade in three consecutive seasons.
Henry first finished as the league’s leading scorer as Arsenal claimed a domestic double in 2002, before being pipped the following year by just a single goal by Manchester United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Frenchman responded to reclaim his goalscoring throne in fine style, however, winning the award in three consecutive seasons, including a career-best 30-goal haul as the Gunners completed an entire season without defeat in 2003/04.
No player has ever been crowned as the PFA Player of the Year or FWA Footballer of the Year on more occasions than Henry, whilst he also one of just two players – alongside Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero – to score 20+ Premier League goals in five consecutive seasons.
Robin van Persie – 2012 & 2013
Van Persie’s natural talents were evident throughout much of an eight-year career at Arsenal, but a shift into a central striking role truly elevated the Dutchman’s game to greater heights.
The finest individual season of his Premier League career came in 2011/12, Van Persie hitting 30 goals during a prolific campaign at the Emirates to win a first Golden Boot and clean sweep of the Player of the Year awards.
After winning just a solitary FA Cup during his time with the Gunners, however, the forward opted for a controversial move to divisional rivals Manchester United. It proved to be an inspired move, Van Persie scoring 26 goals to retain the Golden Boot as United secured a record-extending 20th top-flight league title.
One of just three players alongside Alan Shearer and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to win the award at two different clubs, he sits alongside the former as the only two players to achieve the feat in consecutive seasons.
Harry Kane – 2016 & 2017
The first English winner of the award in over 15 years in 2016, Kane’s 25-goal haul saw him claim the award for the first time after finishing just a single goal ahead of Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.
The Tottenham star has scored prolifically since his breakthrough at the north London side and delivered an incredible goalscoring season the following year, racking up 29 Premier League goals to become just the fifth player to retain the Golden Boot.
Kane’s phenomenal season saw his 29-goal haul come in just 30 appearances, the highest goals-per-game ratio of any Golden Boot winner in the division’s history.
A two-time winner of the award and still just 26-years-old, the England captain will surely have one eye on overhauling Henry’s all-time record of four Golden Boot awards.
Mohamed Salah – 2018 & 2019
Winner of the award in each of the past two seasons, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored at an unprecedented rate since his arrival on Merseyside almost three years ago.
The Egyptian international enjoyed a breathtaking debut season at Anfield after arriving from Roma, scoring a Premier League record 32 goals in a 38-game season to claim the division’s Golden Boot award.
Salah’s numbers dropped somewhat last time around, though his haul of 22 goals was still enough to finish as the league’s leading scorer alongside teammate Sadio Mane and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Electric when at his very best, Salah’s ability to create chances for himself has him once again near the top of the scoring charts, the 27-year-old just three goals behind current leader Jamie Vardy.
No player has ever scored more league goals for Liverpool in their first 100 Premier League appearances, and few would bet against Salah becoming just the third player to win three consecutive Golden Boots this season.
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