Olympic women's soccer top goal scorer: USWNT star Mal Swanson finishes behind France's Katoto for Golden Boot

Kyle Bonn

Olympic women's soccer top goal scorer: USWNT star Mal Swanson finishes behind France's Katoto for Golden Boot image

While the United States returned to the top of the women's football echelon by taking home the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, there was an individual award to be won as well.

France went home disappointed after a Round of 16 exit at the hands of silver medalists Brazil, but forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto would not finish the tournament empty-handed as she won the competition's top goal scorer award. The 25-year-old scored five goals, all in the group stage, to end the tournament atop the charts.

Mallory Swanson of the United States and Barbra Banda of Zambia finished second on the list with four goals each. Swanson scored her last in the final, securing gold for the USA in a 1-0 victory over Brazil.

The goal meant Swanson finished one ahead of her "Triple Espresso" teammates Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman, who ended the tournament with three goals each. Katoto's win meant that still no American has ever finished an Olympic tournament as the competition's top goal scorer, despite their five gold medals in women's soccer.

MORE: Full schedule, results, bracket for 2024 Olympic soccer tournaments

Top goal scorers in 2024 Olympic women's soccer

Top goal scorer list updated following final on Saturday, Aug. 10.

Pos.PlayerNationGoals (Pen)AssistsMins
1.Marie-Antoinette KatotoFrance5 (0)0390
2.Mallory SwansonUSA4 (0)2525
 Barbra BandaZambia4 (0)1270
4.Sophia SmithUSA3 (0)1542
 Trinity RodmanUSA3 (0)1550
 Lea SchullerGermany3 (0)0373
7.Steph CatleyAustralia2 (1)2257
 Salma ParallueloSpain2 (0)2434
 Gabi PortilhoBrazil2 (0)1485
 Alexia PutellasSpain2 (0)0254
 Alanna KennedyAustralia2 (0)0270

All-time Golden Boot winners in Olympic women's soccer history

Dutch star Vivianne Miedema set the record for the most goals ever scored in an Olympic women's soccer competition at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

Miedema became the second-ever player to score four goals in a single Olympic match at that competition in a group game against Zambia. She also notched two goals in each of her other three games.

Despite the United States winning four gold medals, no USWNT player has ever finished an Olympic tournament as the leading goal scorer.

Conversely, winning the Golden Boot has not often translated into team success. Just once has a player finishes as the top goal scorer in women's soccer and also won the gold medal in the same year, as Melanie Behringer became the first with Germany in 2016.

YearPlayerNationGoals
2024Marie-Antoinette KatotoFrance5
2020Vivianne MiedemaNetherlands10
2016Melanie BehringerGermany5
2012Christine SinclairCanada6
2008CristianeBrazil5
2004CristianeBrazil5
Birgit PrinzGermany
2000Sun WenChina4
1996PretinhaBrazil4
Ann Kristin AaronesNorway
Linda MedalenNorway

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.