A meager yield!

The last time this happened at a European Championship was twelve years ago

Will Harry Kane be top scorer at the European Championship?

(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The European Football Championship in Germany has not been a tournament of goal scorers. For the first time in twelve years, three goals could be enough to win the title of top scorer. Ahead of the final between Spain and England on Sunday (9pm) in Berlin, six players are tied.

At Euro 2012, six players also scored three goals each, but Spain's Fernando Torres was awarded the "Golden Shoe" for more assists and fewer minutes played.

Only goals count
That will not be the case this time. When asked, UEFA confirmed that the number of goals scored is the only criterion that counts for the title of top scorer. England captain Harry Kane and Spain's Dani Olmo have the best cards - the only two players to have scored three times in the tournament so far and still have a game to go. The Netherlands' Cody Gakpo, Germany's young star Jamal Musiala, Georgia's Georges Mikautadze and Slovakia striker Ivan Schranz can no longer add to their tally. Two finalists have two goals each in the tournament: England's superstar Jude Bellingham and Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz.

Olmo leads the unofficial scorers list of the European Championship. In addition to his three goals, the 26-year-old also set up two goals. Olmo didn't even play in all of the tournament matches, only since the knee injury to his compatriot Pedri in the round of 16 against Georgia (4:1) has he been used by Spain's team boss Luis de la Fuente. Since then, RB Leipzig's high-class technician has been delighting fans with his ball handling. The wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams (1 goal each) do the rest.

Lamine Yamal

(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Nico Williams

(Bild: AFP/APA/Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV)

"I don't care"
However, Olmo is clearly only marginally interested in becoming the top scorer at the European Championships. "I don't care whether I score the goal or (goalkeeper) Unai Simon, as long as we win the game," said the attacker. However, his market value could increase once again with a goal in the final. A release clause is only valid until July 20, allowing a major club to buy Olmo out of his contract at Leipzig, which runs until 2027, for €60 million.

Kane was already the top scorer at the 2018 World Cup in Russia with six goals, and he will remain loyal to Bayern Munich despite a title-less debut season. Kane has scored a total of seven European Championship goals so far. In the continental tournament's all-time scoring list, the 30-year-old is therefore equal third with Spain captain Alvaro Morata (1 goal in the tournament), France's Antoine Griezmann and his compatriot Alan Shearer. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (14) and France's Michel Platini (9) have scored more goals at the European Championships.

Harry Kane

(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Platini scored all of his nine goals in 1984 - and thus holds the record for goals at a tournament. Griezmann struck six times at the 2016 European Championship at home, while Ronaldo scored five goals at the pan-European tournament three years ago to claim the top scorer crown. The Czech Patrik Schick also scored five times in 2021, but unlike the Portuguese, he did not manage an assist.