Lionel Messi Receives Record-Breaking Golden Shoe

FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi received his latest European Golden Shoe on Wednesday afternoon, extending his own record over longstanding rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Click through the mini-gallery above to see Messi with his sixth Golden Shoe.

The Argentina international has become the first footballer to win the prestigious accolade a sixth time, beating Kylian Mbappe to be named Europe's top marksman in the 2018/19 campaign.

Messi finished last season with 36 LaLiga strikes, equating to 72 points in the official Golden Shoe ranking, while Mbappe ended in second place with 33 Ligue 1 goals and 66 points.

Click through the gallery below to see the full top 10 in the 2018/19 European Golden Shoe race:

11) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 22 goals/44 points

10) Krzysztof Piatek (Genoa/AC Milan) – 21 goals/42 points

9) Nicolas Pepe (LOSC Lille) – 22 goals/44 points

8) Sadio Mane (Liverpool) – 22 goals/44 points

7) Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) – 22 goals/44 points

6) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) – 22 goals/44 points

5) Mbaye Diagne (Kasimpasa/Galatasaray) – 30 goals/45 points [1.5 multiplier]

4) Duvan Zapata (Atalanta) – 23 goals/46 points

3) Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria) – 26 goals/52 points

2) Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – 33 goals/66 points

1) Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) – 36 goals/72 points

His latest prize is the 32-year-old's sixth Golden Shoe after lifting the award in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018.

"A big thank to my family, managers, teammates... Without them I wouldn't have achieved this award... Not even one," he said upon receiving the accolade.

Read: 8 Stadiums Named After Footballers

He has thus extended his own record over Ronaldo, who has won it four times – in 2008, 2011, 2014 (shared with Luis Suarez) and 2015 – but ended up outside the top 10 in the 2018/19 Golden Shoe ranking.

Do you think Messi or Ronaldo could win the Golden Shoe again this season? Have your say in the comments section below.