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Mohamed Salah remains in pole position to claim the prestigious European Golden Shoe, but the Liverpool star will need to rediscover his scoring touch soon if he hopes to secure the award amid intensifying competition from rivals across the continent.

The European Golden Shoe, also known as the Golden Boot, is awarded each season to the top goalscorer in European domestic leagues—but not all goals are weighted equally.

Instead, a coefficient system is used to reflect the relative difficulty of scoring in different leagues, based on UEFA’s league rankings.

The Coefficient System Explained

Top Five Leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France): Goals scored in these leagues are multiplied by a factor of 2.

Leagues Ranked 6 to 22 by UEFA: Goals scored here receive a 1.5 multiplier.

Leagues Ranked 23 and Below: Goals in these leagues are standalone and are not afforded any multiplication factors

The idea is to reward players who score in leagues considered to be of a higher standard, where it is generally more difficult to find the net.

This system ensures that a player who scores fewer goals in a top league can still compete for the Golden Shoe against players who score more in less competitive leagues.

Mohamed Salah Golden Shoe Chances

The Egyptian forward has enjoyed a phenomenal campaign, netting 27 goals in the Premier League to lead Liverpool’s title charge this season.

His tally has earned him 54 points in the Golden Shoe standings, maintaining a narrow lead over his closest competitors.

However, what once seemed like a comfortable advantage has significantly diminished in recent weeks as contenders from various European leagues continue their impressive scoring runs.

Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyökeres has been in sensational form, scoring 34 goals in Portugal’s Liga NOS to accumulate 51 points (remember his goals will receive a 1.5x multiplier).

Despite playing in a league with a lower coefficient, Gyökeres’s remarkable consistency has positioned him just three points behind Salah.

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski has surged into third place with 25 goals (50 points), closing the gap to just four points behind the Liverpool star.

The Top 10 as things stand are as follows:

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool FC) 27 x 2 = 54

Liverpool’s No.11 is no doubt in line for a plethora of individual achievements at the end of the season – but his main goal will be the Premier League title that will soon be in his grasp.

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