In an electrifying pre-game encounter, basketball legend LeBron James crossed paths with soccer superstar Lionel Messi before the highly anticipated opening match of Leagues Cup 2023 for Inter Miami CF. The star-studded meeting took place as Inter Miami faced Cruz Azul, setting the stage for an unforgettable moment for the fans.
As fans eagerly waited for Messi to appear on the field, it was announced that the seven-time the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner would begin the match on the bench. However, when LeBron James and Lionel Messi were seen together, it made the audience even more excited and made them think about what they share and how much they admire each other's fantastic achievements.
Lionel Messi starts on the bench in Inter Miami's opening game against Cruz Azul.
With all the promotion for Lionel Messi's first game in Leagues Cup 20223, LeBron James being there makes the soccer event even more special. Although, Messi not starting the game added an element of surprise and anticipation for when he enters the game and potentially makes a big impact.
The European Golden Boot or European Golden Shoe is awarded annually to the leading goal scorer in league matches in the top divisions of European football. First awarded in 1968, this prestigious honour is judged on a points-based system.
The winner is not simply the player with the most goals in the season. There is a weighting system where the goals scored in the top-ranked leagues are worth more. Players from the five highest ranked leagues according to UEFA (based on results of each league's clubs in European competition over the previous five seasons) get 2 points per scored goal, leagues ranked 6-22 get 1.5 points per goal and the remaining leagues get 1 point per goal.
The top five ranked leagues in 2022 were Germany, Spain, England, Italy, and France. The winners usually come from the top-ranked leagues.
Historical Overview
Between 1968 and 1991, the award was given by L'Équipe to the highest goalscorer in any European league. Between 1991 and 1996 there were no official awards given to the top goal scorers, but the leading goalscorer for those years have since been recognized.
Since the 1996–97 season, the award, given by European Sports Media, has used a weighted points system.
Most Golden Boots win
Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Boot a record six times (2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19). The next closest is Cristiano Ronaldo with four (2007-08, 2010-11, 2013-14, 2014-15).
Let's take a look at the most Golden Boots win in football history.
Real Madrid players Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric and Nacho have equalled Paco Gento's record for most Champions League titles as a player. All of them have won six European Cup/Champions League titles.
The Champions League has always been a huge honour for any team. Teams like Real Madrid have won the trophy as many as 15 times while AC Milan, FC Barcelona, Ajax and Bayern Munich have won found success in Europe's biggest club competition.
As a result, the players from such elite teams as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Ajax, and AC Milan dominate the charts of players with the most Champions League titles.
Players who have won the most Champions League titles
Paco Gento was the first player to win six European Cup/Champions League titles as a player.
Iconic Real Madrid left-winger Paco Gento used to hold the record for the most Champions League titles by a player. He has won six trophies in his 18 years at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, Real Madrid legends Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric andNacho have equalled his record and became the only players to win six Champions League titles in the UCL era.
Former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is tied up at 5 UCL titles with players like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Larence Seedorf as well as other Real Madrid giants in Hector Rial and Marquitos, Lucas Vázquez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and a few others.
El Clasico is considered as the greatest football rivalries, between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Here is the list of the top 10 greatest El Clasico matches ever played.
Zamorano celebrating his goal in the 1995 El Clasico. Image | TheHardTackle
The Real Madrid vs. Barcelona match on January 7, 1995, at the Santiago Bernabeu was unforgettable. Zamorano netted a hat-trick, leading Real Madrid to a commanding 5-0 victory in this LaLiga clash. It was one of the most one-sided El Clasico matches ever, with the home team fully dominating Barcelona.
The match gave Real Madrid an edge in the title race for La Liga.
9. Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona, 2014
Gareth Bale(right) celebrating his 85th minute winner against Barcelona in the 2014 El Clasico. Image | Sky Sports
The Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, hosted the 2014 Copa Del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona on April 16. The match seemed headed for extra time, but a brilliant 85th-minute goal from Gareth Balesecured the victory for Real Madrid. It marked their 19th Copa del Rey title.
8. FC Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid, 2010
Xavi Hernandez after scoring the first goal of the night in the 2010 El Clasico. Image | CNN
After dominating El Clasico the previous season, Barcelona, led by coach Pep Guardiola, continued their strong form in 2009-10. Real Madrid had spent big to rebuild their "Galactico Era," bringing in stars like Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Madrid’s firepower wasn’t enough. Barcelona crushed them 5-0 at the Camp Nou, with David Villa scoring twice. Messi didn’t score but played a big role in most of the goals.
Lionel Messi celebrating his hattrick in the 2007 El Clasico. Image | 90MIN
This LaLiga match between Barcelona and Real Madrid took place at Camp Nou on March 10, 2007, and ended in an exciting 3-3 draw. Both teams played their hearts out, making it one of the greatest El Clasico matches in recent years.
Messi scored a hat-trick, whileVan Nistelrooy scored twice andRamos added one for Madrid. A fierce, high-scoring clash that highlighted both teams' firepower.
6. Real Madrid 4-2 FC Barcelona, 2005
Raul Gonzalez celebrating his goal in the 2005 El Clasico. Image | Squawka
The early 2000s saw Real Madrid stacked with stars like Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, and Ronaldo Nazario. Despite Barcelona boasting talents like Ronaldinho, Eto'o, and Xavi, Madrid outclassed them with a 4-2 win—Zidane and Ronaldo struck early, while Raul and Owen sealed it in the second half.
5. Real Madrid 3-1 FC Barcelona, 1960
Alfredo Di Stefano trying to score a goal in the 1960 El Clasico. Image | Alamy
Real Madrid’s clash with Barcelona in the 1960 European Cup Semifinal is seen as a key moment in El Clasico history. Madrid won 3-1 and reached the final. Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas found the net for Real Madrid, sealing their victory in the semifinal against Barcelona.
The match showed the strong rivalry and attacking power of both teams. It's still remembered today as one of the greatest El Clasico matches and a major turning point in their history.
4. FC Barcelona 4-0 Real Madrid, 2015
Luis Suarez(centre) celebrating his goal in the 2015 El Clasico. Image | FC Barcelona
During the peak of the MSN era at Barcelona, the team looked unstoppable in Spain. But for the first El Clasico of the season, Messi was out with an injury. Surprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t make much impact, while Luis Suárez and Neymar stepped up. They led Barcelona to a dominant 4-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
With both teams playing attacking football and creating plenty of chances, this was the greatest El Clasico match of the 1980s. Butragueno gave Real Madrid the lead, but Gary Lineker put Barcelona ahead. Goals from Schuster and Michel made it 3-1 for Madrid. Julio Salinas gave Barca hope, but a late goal from Hugo Sanchez sealed the win for Real Madrid.
2. FC Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, 2011
Cesc Fabregas(left) celebrating his assist to Lionel Messi(right) in the 2011 El Clasico. Image | TheNewYorkTimes
One of the most intense and dramatic El Clasicos happened in 2011 during the Supercopa de Espana. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu, but the second leg had everything—goals, fouls, and lots of drama.
Iniesta put Barcelona ahead, Ronaldo equalised, and Messi sealed it with two goals, including a late 88th-minute winner. The match turned chaotic after a foul on Fabregas sparked a brawl, leading to four red cards and Mourinho infamously poking Vilanova in the eye.
1. FC Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, 2017
Debatably the greatest El Clasico match of the modern era, took place in the 2016-17 LaLiga season. Real Madrid was leading the league and hoping to extend their lead, while Barcelona needed a win to stay in the title race.
What made this match unforgettable happened in the final moments. The ball was passed to Messi just outside the Real Madrid penalty area. Instead of taking a wild shot, Messi calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner, securing a crucial victory for Barcelona at their biggest rivals' home.
Discover the last 10 European Golden Shoe winners list, featuring stars like Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane, and legendary players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez.
The European Golden Shoe is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, given annually to the leading goal scorer from the top European leagues. Over the past decade, some of football’s biggest superstars have dominated this recognition, showcasing their incredible talent and consistency in front of goal.
Harry Kane is among the greatest strikers to crave his name in the European Golden Shoe winners list. Despite the Bayern forward's failure to win any silverware, he won one of the most prestigious individual awards the Golden Shoe, this award shows his goal-scoring prowess. The Englishmen won the award for scoring 36 goals in the 2024-25 season.
Erling Haaland | 2022-23 | Manchester City:
Image Credit: Man City
Earling Haaland scored 36 goals in the Premier League 2022-23 season to win the prestigious individual award and cemented his name among the top players to win the European Golden Shoe winners list. In that season Earling Haaland and company won their maiden UEFA Champions League title and completed a treble for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.
Robert Lewandowski | 2021-22 and 2020-21 | Bayern Munich:
Image Credit: ESPN
Robert Lewandowski won the Golden Shoe Award in the 2021-22 season, as he cemented his name as one of the two players to win the European Golden Shoe multiple times in the list. His goals were more than enough to declare him a Ballon d'Or winner, but he was overshadowed by Karim Benzema in that season.
In the 2020-21 season, Robert Lewandowski won his first Golden Shoe Award. In that season Robert Lewandowski and his company won a treble for Bayern Munich under Julian Nagelsmann, but he failed to win the Ballon d'Or award as Lionel Messi won the Copa America.
Ciro Immobile | 2019-20 | Lazio:
Image Credit: Rediff
Immobile scored 36 league goals for Lazio in 2019-20 to win the prestigious individual award and cemented his name among the top players to win the European Golden Shoe winners list. Despite scoring 36 league goals for Lazio but did not get the chance to claim a Ballon d’Or rank as the award was cancelled that year due to Covid.
Lionel Messi | 2018-19, 2017-18, and 2016-17 | FC Barcelona:
Image Credit: Sports Net
Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are the only players to crave their names multiple times in the European Golden Shoe winners list. In the 2018-19 season, Messi became the last player to win the Golden Shoe and Ballon d'Or in one season. Messi was the only player, who was dragging Ernesto Valverde's managed Barcelona side to the treble and scored 36 goals.
In the 2017-18 season, Messi scored 34 league goals and won his second European Golden Shoe, despite delivering a stinker performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In the 2016-17 season, Messi scored more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d'Or that season, but Messi won the European Golden Shoe and became the first player to win the Golden Shoe thrice in the list.
Luis Suarez | 2015-16 | FC Barcelona:
Image Credit: The Mirror
Luis Suarez was a goalscoring machine in 2015-16, as he even managed to outgun the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. The Uruguayan scored 40 goals in La Liga alone, and he became the one and only player to win an individual award in Messi and Ronaldo's era. His goalscoring prowess is the reason, he is on the European Golden Shoe winners list.
Cristiano Ronaldo | 2014-15 | Real Madrid:
Image Credit: Eurosport
Surprisingly, 2014-15 was the last time that Ronaldo ever won the European Golden Shoe. He enjoyed an excellent individual season, scoring 48 league goals for Real Madrid, but was ultimately overshadowed by Barcelona and Messi who won the treble that year. His excellent goal-scoring skills are the reason he is on the European Golden Shoe winners list.
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Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. Here are the top 6 male fittest players in the world including footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. No matter which field of sports you are associated with, a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and taking extreme care of physical health are an absolute mandate.
World-renowned athletes also inspire the younger generation to emphasize their physical health and lead a disciplined life. On this note, let's take a look at the top 6 male fittest players in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time and a huge inspiration to billions. Apart from his football skills, the entire world knows Ronaldo for his chisled and well-featured physique.
The Portuguese captain had the physical capabilities of a 20-year-old when he joined Juventus in 2018.
He had 7% body fat and a muscle mass of 50%. He weighs around 79 kg. The pivotal reason behind these extreme physical abilities is his dedication to fitness and his physical health.
No wonder his performances advanced at this level throughout the past years.
Ronaldo focuses on his sleep and nutrition as he eats five times a day and sleeps 8 hours as well. The 39-year-old has an extreme fitness routine. He enjoys his cardio, pilates and strength exercises.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the athlete who revolutionized the concept of fitness in India. He is one of the fittest athletes in India at the moment. The former Indian test skipper influenced, and still influences his teammates, the younger generation, and his fans to follow the path of a proper fitness regime.
There has been a massive improvement in his performance since he started eating clean and followed a definite path of athleticism.
Kohli weighs around 74.5-75 kg and has been maintaining that weight for the last few years. He is one of the fastest runners in cricket and focuses on nutrition and strength training to stay fit.
Mohamed Salah
The current Liverpool winger did not look like this when he left England in 2015 to join Italian Club Fiorentina and then Roma. However, since then, Egyptian footballers have become some of the fittest players in the world.
He has a very low body fat percentage and maintains a disciplined life, making a lot of sacrifices to remain in shape.
Salah generally has mixed variants of food to have all kinds of nutrition and then focuses on his training to stay fit. He normally trains twice a day if he is skipping his football practice. "My nutritionist says that because I don't have any fat on my body, I can eat what I want. I also don't drink, so it's fine," Salah told CNN in 2020. Discover the world of football with https://1xbitpakistan.com/
LeBron James
The 6 feet 8 inches tall LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. The 113-kilo weight basketballer is undoubtedly the oldest NBA player currently.
James, throughout his career, has remained fit and lean. However, in 2014, he gained some weight but then lost many kilos with his diet and training. "I am very consistent with training my body, rehabbing my body, eating, having my body be very clean throughout this journey because I've always wanted to have a long career, or as long as I could be in this space," James told Tim Ferriss in an interview in 2018.
Moreover, he sleeps more than 8 hours a day and sometimes 9 or 10 to recover well.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most influential figures in modern football. The 42-year-old, even after calling it a day, follows a strict regime to remain in his fittest form. According to GQItalia, his food items are carefully weighed on a scale.
No matter how small a quantity the food is, everything needs to be measured to the exact gram. Also, junk food is a strict no for him. His workout routine, along with a strict diet, are the reasons behind his fitness and strength
Rich Froning
This list would remain incomplete without Rich Froning, the greatest CrossFit athlete of all time. He is the first and only athlete to clinch the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" 4 times consecutively from 2011. He is immensely powerful and can deadlift 545 pounds. Also, he can snatch 300 pounds, and do 75 chin-ups after deadlifting 545 pounds. His interest in strength and CrossFit games began during his fire department training days.
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