The 2026-27 European club football season is already underway across several leagues, with many African players in action for clubs across the continent. These players will be hoping to help their respective teams achieve success, challenge for league titles and, most importantly, score as many goals as possible.
For the top goalscorers, a strong season could also put them in contention for the European Golden Shoe, which is usually awarded to the highest-scoring player in Europe’s top domestic leagues. With the season still in its early stages, several African forwards have already shown that they could be among the leading scorers in Europe by the end of the campaign.
Here are five African footballers who could eventually challenge for the European Golden Shoe.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen could become the first African footballer to win the European Golden Shoe award after his brilliant start to the 2026-27 season with Turkish champions Galatasaray.
The 27-year-old was linked with an exit away from the club throughout the summer, but he has put those speculations behind him with six goals already this season.
Osimhen began the season with a brace in the first game and has scored four more goals in the next three matches, taking his tally to six goals and two assists in four games this season and only fitness concerns can slow the Super Eagles striker down at this rate.
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Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor)
Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah previously came close to winning the European Golden Shoe during his time at Liverpool, and is still in contention to win the prestigious award this season after his brilliant start to the season at Trabzonspor.
Salah joined the Turkish heavyweights during the summer transfer window and has already scored four goals in four matches already in the Super Lig.
He will be hoping to continue his impressive run for the remainder of the season and challenge for the Golden Shoe once again.
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Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
Guinea and Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy has made a name for himself in European football over the last few campaigns and has continued that goalscoring form once again this season.
The 30-year-old already has four goals across all competitions, with two in the Bundesliga and two in the UEFA Champions League as well.
He could eventually win the award for the first time in his career if he continues that form till the end of the season and could be the X-factor in Dortmund’s challenge for trophies this campaign.
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Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor)
Another Nigerian on this list, Paul Onuachu was a dominant force in the Turkish Super Lig last season, going on to win the Golden Boot award with Eldor Shomurodov of Istanbul Basaksehir.
While the 32-year-old has had a slow start to the current campaign, he opened his account with a brace in his side’s last outing.
Onuachu will now be hoping to recover quickly from a minor injury and continue that goalscoring form and the presence of Salah, who could create chances for him, puts him in strong contention for the European Golden Shoe award.
Amine Gouiri (Olympique Marseille)
Algerian forward Amine Gouiri is another surprise contender for the European Golden Shoe award following his remarkable start to the new season in the Ligue 1 with Marseille.
The 26-year-old has scored four goals in three games already and will be hoping to add more to that tally to keep him firmly in the race, beginning with Marseille’s next league game against Rennes on Friday night.
