Euro 2024 gets underway on June 14 in Germany, where the hosts and other members of Europe's elite will have designs on lifting the trophy a month later.
Italy are the reigning champions after defeating England on penalties at Wembley at Euro 2020.
The Azzurri's triumph did not depend upon a single prolific goalscorer, with Ciro Immobile, Federico Chiesa, Manuel Locatelli, Matteo Pessina, and Lorenzo Insigne each netting two apiece.
Nevertheless, a striker in peak form throughout the tournament is usually the hallmark of a winning side.
With that in mind, here's a look at some of the frontrunners for the Euro 2024 Golden Boot, each of whom will have their eyes firmly fixed on the bigger, collective prize.
MORE: England at the Euros: All-time results, wins, record
Who will win the Golden Boot at Euro 2024? Early contenders
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
Lukaku's rollercoaster club career has hit a bit of a downslope over recent seasons after a failed big-money move to Chelsea and a similarly underwhelming loan return to Inter Milan. The 30-year-old is enjoying something of a renaissance after reuniting with Jose Mourinho at Roma and he topped the scoring charts in Euro 2024 qualification with an incredible 14-goal haul for Belgium, who are now managed by former Schalke head coach Domenico Tedesco.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Ronaldo finished as joint top-scorer at Euro 2020 with five alongside Czech Republic star Patrik Schick. This tournament could prove to be his last hurrah at the top level and don't expect him to go quietly. When Ronaldo lost his starting spot to Goncalo Ramos at the 2022 World Cup, it felt like the end of his international career could be fast approaching. However, Roberto Martinez has placed faith in him since taking over as head coach and the 38-year-old scored 10 times during qualification, extending his all-time men's record international goalscoring haul to 128.
MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo at the Euros: Stats, games, goals, wins, record
Harry Kane (England)
The Golden Boot winner at the 2018 World Cup with six, Kane has long proved himself to be a major tournament animal, scoring four at Euro 2020 and a goal in each knockout game England contested at Qatar 2022. Of course, it was the one Kane didn't score that lingered after he missed a late penalty during the quarterfinal loss to France.
He netted his next England spot-kick against Italy to become his country's all-time leading goalscorer. Kane has excelled since joining Bayern Munich last summer and looks primed to shine for an England team that now boasts a genuinely enviable talent pool. Maybe it really is coming home this time?
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappe's hat-trick in the World Cup final secured the Golden Boot in Qatar but it was not enough to deny Argentina. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar has now scored in back-to-back World Cup finals, a distinction he shares with Vava, a star of Brazil's back-to-back successes in 1958 and 1962. Curiously, he does not have a Euros goal to his name, having failed to find the net in four outings at the previous continental tournament. Expect that to change quickly as he spearheads Les Bleus' latest bid for glory.
MORE: France at the Euros: All-time results, wins, record at UEFA European Championship
Alvaro Morata (Spain)
Watching Morata step up to take a penalty in the Euro 2020 semifinal shootout against Italy was akin to watching a car crash unfold in slow motion. Sure, he'd equalised to secure a 1-1 draw with his third goal of the tournament, but the striker had been painfully low on confidence for most of the preceding month, missed several chances and losing his starting spot. Sure enough, Gianluigi Donnarumma saved and the Azzurri were off to their date with destiny.
Fast forward a couple of years and Morata is back at Atletico Madrid and back in form under Diego Simeone. During Euro 2024 qualification he was Spain's starting centre-forward and captain. Sign us up for the redemption arc.
Niclas Fullkrug (Germany)
Hosts Germany have changed coach twice since the previous Euros and lacked a reliable centre-forward for much longer. Step forward, Niclas Fullkrug. A late bloomer, the 30-year-old took a circuitous route to the top of the game before his prolific form for Werder Bremen earned him first a place in Germany's 2022 World Cup squad and then a move to Borussia Dortmund.
A physically imposing, old-fashioned leader of the line, Fullkrug has adapted seamlessly to international football with 10 goals in 13 caps. He is not a guaranteed starter but it is not hard to imagine him scoring early in the tournament and then being on the crest of a wave. Think Toto Schillaci at Italia 90. Fullkrug could be the folk hero Germany need.
