In this read, we look into the top scorers of every UEFA Champions League tournament and the football boots the players wore to receive the prestigious Golden Boot award. From Romário in '93 to Haaland in 2023, check out the very best goalscorers of European football from the past 30 years and explore some of the most memorable models from Nike, Adidas, Puma, Mizuno, Reebok, and Uhlsport.
1992-93
Although having finished at the bottom of their group and not making their way into the knockout stage, the star man of PSV Eindhoven, Romário outscored every other player from the 1992-93 Champions League tournament; a great testament to his exceptional talents.
Romário and Paolo Maldini were some of the first players to wear this Nike model, but their individual successes quickly led many other top footballers from all over the world to start wearing the Tiempo Premier.
1993-94
This season saw Ronald Koeman and Wynton Rufer both receiving Golden Boot trophies, both having scored 8 goals each. While Rufer’s Werder Bremen finished third in Group B, Koeman’s side made it all the way to the final but ultimately did not take any silverware back home to Barcelona.
The Adidas Copa Mundial was a popular choice among top players in this era and the boot model that helped Ronald Koeman lead the list of top scorers, but Rufer matched his record in the tournament while wearing a less popular Puma King.
1994-95
While this year’s tournament had a new top scorer, the top-scoring boots remained the exact same. George Weah scored a total of 7 goals throughout Paris Saint-Germain’s run that finally ended with a 3-0 aggregate loss in the Semi Final against AC Milan, but his goal-scoring threat was just enough to keep the world interested in the Adidas Copa Mundial football boots, even though he kept the three-stripe branding disguised with black polish.
The following season Weah joined the very team that eliminated his side from the tournament, but this was a smart move that brought him and Milan plenty of success including the Italian League title in ’96, and the respective domestic Golden Boot.
1995-96
Following George Weah, the next player to win a Champions League Golden Boot was Jari Litmanen of Ajax who went the length to the final against Juventus in which he scored a first-half equaliser. Despite his best efforts, and ability to amass a total of 9 goals throughout the tournament, his side fell second best as Juventus won the honours of lifting football’s most beautiful trophy via penalty shootout.
Also, like Weah, Litmanen picked up a Golden Boot award while playing in a pair of Adidas Copa Mundial, however, he was the last player to do so.
1996-97
It’s not known which boots Milinko Pantić was wearing during this season; being perhaps the most obscure and unlikely player to feature on this list, however, paying close attention to the limited photographs of Pantić available online, the brand on his feet appears to be Uhlsport.
He took Atlético Madrid to the Quarter Finals in which they went on to lose on aggregate against Ajax, and, although only scoring five goals in the entire tournament, he is the only Átletico player in their entire elite European history to ever be awarded the Golden Boot.
1997-98
The player to receive the Golden Boot award this season was Alessandro Del Piero whose 10 goals led his Juventus side to the final against Real Madrid. Despite going so far into the competition and having the top scorer on their side, Juventus ultimately fell short in a 1-0 defeat.
Among many other incredible footballers, such as Zinedine Zidane, his choice of football boots was the Adidas Predator Accelerator, a range that retains its popularity to this day through its reintroductions and evolutionary designs.
1998-99
This year, two players were awarded the Golden Boot: Andriy Shevchenko and Dwight Yorke who each scored 8 goals in the competition. Dynamo Kyiv’s star man took his side to a Semi Final against Bayern Munich but unfortunately did not progress further, unlike Yorke whose impressive goalscoring record helped Manchester United lift the trophy in the final.
Shevchenko wore the Adidas Equipment Velez Liga, a classic silhouette with traditional colours and modern shapes. Yorke, on the other hand, is the first player on this list to wear boots from the Mizuno brand; opting for the ‘Morelia’ model which is considered to be one of the greatest football boots of all time.
1999-00
Mário Jardel, Rivaldo, and Raúl each put the ball in the back of the net 10 times in this season’s tournament but they all wore different boots and played for different teams. Jardel took Porto to the Quarter Final phase but his side was ultimately knocked out by Bayern Munich. Rivaldo took Barcelona a little further but lost to Valencia in the Semi Finals. Raúl and Real Madrid, however, went the length to the final against Valencia and comfortably lifted the trophy via a 3-0 victory.
Jardel wore, what is now considered a classic, the Nike Total 90, Rivaldo followed in Yorke’s footsteps and chose the Mizuno Morelia, and the now-forgotten Reebok Valor earned its popularity through the talent of Raúl.
2000-01
In his prime, Raúl won the Golden Boot in back-to-back Champions League tournaments. In this season, he managed to score 7 goals while still playing for Real Madrid, but his side was sent back to Spain by Bayern Munich, having lost in both legs of the Semi Final.
He ditched the Reebok Valors and instead chose the Adidas Predator Precision model which was released just before the Euro 2000 tournament and is still remembered by football fans around the world as even Beckham, Zidane, and David Trezeguet wore this Adidas boot back in the day.
2001-02
Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored a total of 10 goals in this season’s tournament which earned him a Golden Boot. A talented forward of Manchester United, he played a vital role in bringing his side to the Semi Finals but unfortunately for the Red Devils, Bayer Leverkusen came out on top.
The silver on his Nike Air Zoom Match Mercurial Vapor Supremacy football boots was Manchester United’s closest chance to win something that season. While Sir Alex Ferguson’s side did not pick up any silverware in 01/02, Van Nistelrooy won a trophy of his own and almost picked up another domestically, but Henry’s 24 goals gifted the Premier League Golden Boot to the Arsenal man instead.
2002-03
From one back-to-back Golden Boot winner to another, Van Nistelrooy not only beat his own personal record, but his 12 goals in this season’s tournament put him at the very top of the list of ‘Most Goals Scored by Player in a Champions League Season’.
Having previously entrusted the Nike brand, he once again opted for their latest boots- the Nike Mercurial Vapor I, however, this time Real Madrid made sure that Manchester United did not make it further than the Quarter Finals.
2003-04
In the same season in which Arsenal went unbeaten in the Premier League, Fernando Morientes picked up a golden trophy for himself. Scoring 9 goals in the Champions League, he helped Monaco reach the final, but Porto was the side to ultimately take the “big ears” home.
Morientes was one of the elite players among Beckham, Ballack, and Gerrard to wear the Adidas Predator Pulse; no wonder how it became so popular in the early 2000’s.
2004-05
Van Nistelrooy once again outscored every other player in the European competition, with a total of 8 goals this time around, but once again, Manchester United did not make it any further than the Quarter Finals.
However, instead of sticking with Nike’s Mercurial line, he joined the likes of Ronaldinho, Cesc Fabregas, and Andrea Pirlo in opting for the Tiempo Legend Air Zoom. With soft kangaroo leather uppers and innovative cushioning technology, the football-mad world quickly took to making this boot a modern classic.
2005-06
Six years after the previous Champions League Golden Boot winner to have worn Mizuno boots, Andriy Shevchenko scored 9 goals in the Mizuno Wave Shinken to take his Milan side to the Semi Finals against Barcelona and earn himself a second Golden Boot.
With little record of this model on the internet today, this Mizuno model is one of the rarer boots on this list and remains a hidden gem.
2006-07
Many of us, especially AC Milan fans, remember the incredible talent of Kaká who ruled Italian and European Football. In the 2006-07 Season, Kaká and his 10 goals played a crucial role in taking the red and black into the Champions League Final against Liverpool in which his side collected their seventh title.
Kaká and other legends including Beckham, Ballack, and Gerrard wore the Adidas Predator Absolute, some of the most beautiful football boots to ever exist. The combination of the best player on the planet and a well-respected sportswear brand was the perfect recipe for a truly memorable Adidas Predator.
2007-08
Football fans all around the world saw a huge shift in the game this season and those following, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi showcasing generational talents. Scoring 8 goals in the Champions League tournament that season and achieving many other incredible feats, Ronaldo simply was the best player on the planet.
It was the Nike Mercurial Vapor SL in which Cristiano dominated European Football, helping his side take home the trophy and secure his Golden Boot award, despite missing a penalty in the tense shootout against Chelsea in the Final.
2008-09
This season, in which Lionel Messi took home the Golden Boot, began many arguments on who was the best player on the planet, and these would continue for a good decade or so, but it was Messi who brought the “big ears” back to his club’s trophy cabinet after this special Final in which Barcelona faced Ronaldo’s Manchester United side.
Lionel made a loud statement and his bright blue Adidas F30 boots further raised the volume. Having scored the winning goal in the 70th minute, the world quickly fell in love with him and his boots with the three stripes.
2009-10
The Argentinian picked up his second Champions League Golden Boot this season, having scored a total of 8 goals for Barcelona which took the side into a Semi Final against Inter Milan that sent the team back to Spain but unfortunately not to Madrid where the Final was ultimately held.
Lionel chose to wear the F30i model in the season that marked his four-year partnership with Adidas but it was the fact he lifted the domestic La Liga title, won the Champions League, Spain’s Supercopa, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup all in one season that not only set him apart from the rest but also helped Adidas to really boast their innovative nature in the sport of football.
2010-11
Three in a row? The world finally had the answer. Scoring a total of 12 goals in the competition this season, even one in the Final, Lionel had to start building extensions to his personal trophy cabinet. Since Ronaldo’s departure from Manchester United in the previous season, Barcelona would have a slightly easier Final- from which they took yet another European title back to Spain.
His eye-catching play style really gave his Adidas F50 Adizero ‘Electricity’ an appropriate name and it’s fair to say the unrivalled success of this unforgettable Barcelona side greatly contributed in cementing the powerful associations and global influence of the German brand.
2011-12
At around the age of 25, Messi beat his personal European Competition scoring record but his total of 14 goals in the Champions League 2011-12 tournament also meant that he outscored every previous Golden Boot winner.
With his flashy Adidas F50 Adizero TRX, he helped Barcelona reach the Semi Final against Chelsea but Roberto Di Matteo’s side ensured Barça did not progress any further.
2012-13
After four straight seasons of Lionel Messi picking up the Golden Boot in this elite competition, Cristiano Ronaldo finally picked up his second. Although his side was knocked out in the Semi Final against Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid did fairly well domestically, winning the Supercopa de España and finishing second in La Liga.
The Nike Mercurial Vapor IX CR7 was the boot of choice for Cristiano that season and, being available in multiple colourways, these were incredibly popular among football fans around the world.
2013-14
This season was just incredible. After a 12-year drought from winning the most elite European competition, Real Madrid met their closest rival, Atlético Madrid, in the very final of the Champions League. With some incredible luck and determination, Ronaldo’s side pulled off one of the most intense comeback victories of the competition’s history and collected their tenth CL title.
Having seen Cristiano lift the “big ears” and even the Copa del Rey that season, every fan around the world wanted a pair of Nike Mercurial Vapor IX 10M football boots of their own.
2014-15
After 1999-00, This was the second ever season in which there were three players to be simultaneously awarded the Champions League Golden Boot. This time, it was Neymar, Ronaldo, and Messi. Having scored 10 goals each, the world got to witness some of the greatest football yet. While Ronaldo’s side was knocked out by Juventus in the Semi Final, Neymar and Messi were part of the Copa del Rey and La Liga-winning Barcelona side that managed to beat Juventus 3-1 in the 2015 Final, adding a fifth Champions League title to their cabinet.
Ronaldo wore the Nike Mercurial Superfly CR7 ‘Silverware’, a pair with a very fitting name- given Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Neymar had the world going crazy about the Nike Hypervenom Phantom II and his teammate, Lionel, wore an even flashier boot, the Adidas Messi 15.1.
2015-16
With momentum from the previous year, Ronaldo scored a total of 16 goals this season- the most goals scored by a single player in a Champions League tournament; a record that still holds to this day. Most importantly for Cristiano, he scored the decisive penalty in the shootout against his biggest rival club.
Wearing the CR7 Nike Mercurial Superfly V, he brought his club’s 11th Champions League title back to Madrid.
2016-17
In his absolute prime, Cristiano Ronaldo once again struck gold, with a total of 12 goals this Champions League season- two of which came in the 4-1 Final win over Juventus. Winning the EURO 2016, the Champions League, the respective Golden Boot, La Liga, and the Ballon d’Or, Cristiano, and the world, at that point, were confident that there was nobody better on the planet.
Having had such a successful season, his Nike CR7 Chapter 4: ‘Forged for Greatness’ football boots could not have been named any more appropriately. With one of the most iconic Real Madrid kits ever, and a flashy pair of Nike boots, Cristiano made it so easy for the sports photographers to capture him in all of his well-deserved glory.
2017-18
Having already picked up his fifth CL Golden Boot in a row, Cristiano aimed for greatness once again. Not only did he score 15 goals in total that season, but his side also beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final to pick up their 13th Champions League title.
This season, he wore the Nike Mercurial Superfly 6 CR7 ‘Chapter 6: Born Leader’ which has a palette complimentary to his nation’s traditional colours but also the blues featured on Real Madrid’s home, away, and third kits.
2018-19
Despite having won 3-0 in the first leg, Barcelona was dramatically knocked out by Liverpool in the Semi Final, but this did not stop Lionel Messi from outscoring any other player in the CL that season.
With a total of 12 goals and now his sixth Golden Boot, football fans around the world gained interest in his white and pink boots but the Adidas Messi Nemeziz were only custom-made for Lionel and never released to the public.
2019-20
Winning the Best FIFA Men’s Player, the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, the Bundesliga title, the Champions League, and two separate Golden Boot awards, Robert Lewandowski had the season of his life. His 15 goals in the CL competition especially had the world regarding Robert as one of the best-living strikers.
Being sponsored by Nike for over a decade, he would wear- the best and the latest- Nike Phantom Venom ‘Neighbourhood’ in the 2019-20 season.
2020-21
This season, it was the Norwegian Terminator, Erling Haaland, who went on to pick up the CL Golden Boot by scoring 10 goals in Borussia Dortmund’s run into the Quarter Finals.
Erling’s choice was the Nike Mercurial Superfly VIII Dream Speed 4. Wearing the same boots as Cristiano Ronaldo, perhaps that goalscoring spirit of his gave Haaland an extra boost to outscore all players in this Champions League tournament.
2021-22
Winning La Liga and it’s Pichichi, the Supercopa de España, the Champions League, his first CL Golden Boot, the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award, and even the Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema could not have asked for a better season.
To top it all off, his Adidas X Speedflow.1 football boots are perhaps the cleanest on this list of over 30 seasons. With a Champions League theme, Karim can always look at these boots and be reminded of his side’s 2021-22 victory over Liverpool.
2022-23
The most recent player to pick up a CL Golden Boot is Erling Haaland whose total of 12 goals took Manchester City all the way to a victorious final against Internazionale. While also being the top scorer in the Premier League with 36 goals, he played an equally important role in taking Man City to a domestic title.
Sharing the same Nike Phantom GX football boot model with the likes of Lautaro Martínez, Gavi, Eduardo Camavinga, and Matthijs de Ligt, Nike maximised their global outreach through some of the best young players in the world.
It's impressive just how much football boots have evolved and adapted to the modern game since the early '90s. With Nike featuring on this list 16 times and Adidas 15, while being the sponsors of today's most prolific attackers, we most likely will not see a return of Mizuno, Reebok, or even Puma to this list anytime soon, however, in his current form, Harry Kane of Bayern Munich could very possibly be the first player to receive a CL Golden Boot in a pair of Skechers.
Which football boots from this list catch your eye the most?
If you would like to view more similar content, check out 'Top Boots For Top Scorers' or check below to read more on iconic football boots.