The EPL Golden Boot goes to the player who scores the most Premier League goals in a season. It has been awarded every year since the league’s first season in 1992-93, and with the 2025-26 season now complete, Erling Haaland has taken his third Golden Boot. This guide covers how the award works, recent winners, Son Heung-min’s record, and how to read a scoring race through data.
What Is the EPL Golden Boot? Definition and Rules
The Golden Boot is awarded to the player with the most goals across all 38 Premier League matchdays. Defenders and goalkeepers are eligible in theory, but winners have almost always been forwards and wingers.
The key rules are simple.
- Most official Premier League goals in the season
- Ties mean shared awards: in 2018-19, Aubameyang, Mané, and Salah shared it on 22 goals each
- Cup and European goals do not count
The rules are straightforward, but late in the season a goal or two can reshuffle the table. For a data-driven approach to football, see our football moneyball strategy guide.
EPL Golden Boot Winners in the 2020s
The 2020s Golden Boots have largely been shared among Salah (Liverpool), Son (Tottenham), and Haaland (Manchester City). Recent results are below (sources: Spreadex, Premier League).
| Season | Winner | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | Son Heung-min & Salah (shared) | 23 each |
| 2022-23 | Haaland | 36 |
| 2023-24 | Haaland | 27 |
| 2024-25 | Salah | 29 |
| 2025-26 | Haaland | 27 |
Haaland won three of the last five Golden Boots (2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26). His 36 goals in 2022-23 are the highest single-season total on the winners list. Salah returned to the top in 2024-25 with 29, and in 2025-26 Brentford’s Igor Thiago finished second with 22.
Son Heung-min: The First Asian EPL Golden Boot Winner
Son scored 23 goals in 2021-22, level with Liverpool’s Salah, and became the first Asian player to win the Golden Boot. Tottenham’s Golden Boot winners are Sheringham (1992-93), Kane (2015-16, 2016-17, 2020-21), and Son as the third player (based on the Spreadex list).
In data terms, the record stands out for three reasons.
- Pure scoring: he finished level with a title-contending club’s star on 23 goals.
- Shared award: it shows the rule in action, where tied scorers share the award without tie-breakers like assists.
- First Asian winner: the first Asian player on the Premier League’s Golden Boot list.
Three Metrics for Reading the EPL Golden Boot Race
When following a scoring race, look beyond total goals to these three metrics.
1. Goals versus xG (expected goals)
A player who scores more than the expected-goals figure suggests finishing quality. Separate the team’s chance creation from the player’s finishing.
2. Goals per 90 minutes
This compares players fairly when playing time differs. Raw totals favor players who play more minutes.
3. Big-chance conversion
Late in the race, converting big chances often decides the order.
Taken together, the three show which striker is most efficient within his team’s system. For how transfer activity connects to scoring, see our EPL transfer market analysis.
How to Read Golden Boot Data: A Comparison Framework
Read the data in three levels.
- Level 1, surface metrics: season goals and league rank
- Level 2, efficiency metrics: shot accuracy, goals versus xG, goals per 90
- Level 3, context metrics: goals against top clubs, away goals, and match-deciding goals
Level 3 helps separate players who score mostly against weaker sides from those who deliver in big games. The same Golden Boot candidate can be judged differently depending on which level you read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the EPL Golden Boot the same as the top scorer award?
A: Yes. The Golden Boot is the official name of the trophy given to the Premier League’s top scorer.
Q: How are ties decided?
A: Tied players share the award. Son and Salah shared it on 23 goals in 2021-22, and three players shared it on 22 in 2018-19.
Q: Who won the most recent EPL Golden Boot?
A: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland won the 2025-26 award with 27 goals. In 2024-25, Liverpool’s Salah won with 29.
Q: How many times has Son Heung-min won the Golden Boot?
A: Once, shared with Salah in 2021-22. He was the first Asian player to win it.
Q: Can a midfielder or defender win it?
A: There is no positional restriction, and any Premier League goal counts. In practice, winners have mostly been forwards and wingers.
EPL Golden Boot Race Checklist
- Check the scoring table on the official Premier League stats page
- Compare the top candidates’ goals per 90 and big-chance conversion
- Estimate the share of strong and weak opponents left in each fixture list
- Compare current candidates with past winners’ totals
- Check how team standings affect individual scoring
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