If World Cup history tells us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected as far as the race for the Golden Boot is concerned. OK, Harry Kane (2018), Ronaldo (2002) and Miroslav Klose (2010) were hardly ‘dark horses’ for the award.
But who expected then-Monaco playmaker James Rodriguez to outscore everyone else in Brazil eight years ago? Salvatore Schillaci, meanwhile, famously scribed his name into the history books just a few months after making his Italy debut.
So forget about the Neymars, the Lionel Messis and the Kylian Mbappes. Who, in Qatar, could follow in Schillaci’s footsteps and become one of football’s most surprising World Cup Golden Boot winners?
Michy Batshuayi – Fenerbahce and Belgium
Now, hear us out. If Romelu Lukaku is fully fit, Batshuayi is almost certain to spend much of the World Cup warming Belgium’s bench. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, however, there is a very real chance that Lukaku will arrive in Qatar having started only four games all season for Inter Milan due to a series of fitness issues.
Fortunately, Roberto Martinez has, in reserve, another striker with an outstanding goals-per-game record in international football. Chelsea misfit Batshuayi has 26 goals in 47 caps. He’s been in pretty handy form on loan at Fenerbahce too; netting a hat-trick last weekend.
Borja Iglesias – Real Betis and Spain
With Rodrigo Moreno, Raul de Tomas and co falling out of favour in Luis Enrique’s ever-rotating cast of centre-forwards, it’s Borja Iglesias who looks set to secure a seat on the plane at their expense. And if anyone is going to be 2022’s answer to Toto Schillachi, it’s him.
The Real Betis talisman only made his La Roja debut in September. But, after scoring eight times in 12 La Liga matches this term, Iglesias could be Spain’s best bet as the 2010 winners look to turn all that possession into something more productive.
Steven Bergwijn – Ajax and the Netherlands
A la compatriot Memphis Depay, former Tottenham benchwarmer Bergwijn tends to save his best form for the international stage. He’s scored six goals in his last six games under Louis van Gaal, finding the net against Belgium, Germany, Poland and an excellent Denmark outfit.
“You always have players who can excel in the collective,” Van Gaal told NOS in the summer. “I don’t understand why he never plays at Spurs, that’s all I can say. For us, he is worth his weight in gold.
“In Oranje, he is always a hit.”
Kasper Dolberg – Sevilla and Denmark
Like Klose, Peter Crouch, Lukas Podolski and more, Dolberg is one of those mystifying footballers who simply comes alive whenever he’s with the national team. The silky centre-forward scored three goals in just four games as Denmark reached the semi-finals of the European Championships last summer, and will not be short of service in Qatar with Christian Eriksen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Joakim Maehle and co providing ammunition aplenty.
Serge Gnabry – Bayern Munich and Germany
One of Europe’s most underrated forwards despite winning trophy after trophy at Bayern Munich, Gnabry’s tally of 20 goals in 36 international caps is one even some of the game’s greatest strikers would be proud of. And, with Timo Werner ruled out of the World Cup following an ill-timed ankle injury, the one-time Arsenal youngster could start as through the middle under Hansi Flick in Qatar.
Flick, you may remember, coached Gnabry during Bayern’s 2020 treble-winning season. Did we mention that was also the most prolific campaign of Gnabry’s career?
Aleksandr Mitrovic – Fulham and Serbia
In the last two years, Fulham’s firebrand number nine has scored 14 goals in 15 international caps. That is a staggering record by anyone’s standards; let alone a striker plying his trade for one of Europe’s, let’s say, ‘B-list’ national teams. Mitrovic’s record for Serbia is actually superior to that of his £72 million compatriot Dusan Vlahovic, and he will arrive in Qatar on the back of his best run of form ever in the Premier League.
In Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Filip Kostic, expect the blood-thirsty Mitrovic to greedily gobble up a fair few of the chances that are almost certain to come his way in Qatar.
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