Barcelona's Lionel Messi Awarded 6th European Golden Shoe

Lionel Messi was presented with his sixth European Golden Shoe award on Wednesday after netting 36 goals in Barcelona's triumphant La Liga campaign in 2018-19. 

The Argentinian has now claimed the award an unprecedented three seasons running.

His career haul of six Golden Shoes is also a new benchmark, putting him two clear of Cristiano Ronaldo at the head of the all-time list:

In 2018-19, Messi controlled the race to be the top scorer in all of European football for most of the campaign.

He eventually finished well clear of second-placed Kylian Mbappe, who ended the season with 33 Ligue 1 goals for Paris Saint-Germain.

Sampdoria's Fabio Quagliarella, who scored 26 goals, finished in third. 

Remarkably, Messi's 2018-19 league campaign was only the fifth-most prolific of his incredible career.

In 2016-17, he netted 37 times, he passed the 40-goal mark in 2014-15 and 2012-13, and he registered a quite staggering 50 La Liga goals in 2011-12.

The 32-year-old's bid to win a seventh Golden Shoe in 2019-20 was hampered by an injury suffered during the summer that kept him out of action for the opening games of the campaign:

Messi did, though, open his account for the term against Sevilla before the international break, and it will be no surprise if he is back among Europe's top goalscorers come the turn of the year.