Harry Kane is THIRD in the European Golden Boot race ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland after 17 goals in 11 league games at Bayern… but who are the two unknown forwards currently leading the way?

Harry Kane is on the hunt to win his first ever European Golden Boot after smashing in an absurd 17 goals in 11 Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich this season.

The England captain’s electric start has seen him break several records and has put him in a healthy position for Europe’s goalscoring prize this campaign.

His tally has him ahead of last season’s winner, Erling Haaland, who scored a ridiculous 36 goals in debut campaign for Man City, which saw the Norwegian superstar break several records on the way to winning the Treble.

Kane is also besting Kylian Mbappe in terms of goalscoring this season, with the PSG star also posting a brilliant goals per game ratio after netting 13 times in 11 games. However, despite Kane’s heroics, he’s currently only third in the standings with two relative unknowns leading the way.

Here, Mail Sport looks at the surprise contenders for what promises to be an exciting tussle for the 2023-24 European Golden Boot.

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10. Solvi Vatnhamar (21 goals – 21 points)

Club: Vikingur Gota

League: Faroe Islands Premier League (Faroe Islands) – Coefficient: x1 multiplier

We’re off to the Faroe Islands for Europe’s 10th best goalscorer so far and, surprisingly, I haven’t heard of them either. 

But that’s not to say that Solvi Vatnhamar isn’t lethal in front of goal. In fact, the Faroe Islands native has finished as top scorer in the Faroe Islands Premier League for the last two seasons, with this campaign’s tally of 21 earning him a spot in the top 10.

The 2022-23 campaign where Vatnhamar scored 21 goals for Vikingur has now ended so don’t expect the 37-year-old to stay on the list given he can’t improve his total.

9. Faris Moumbagna (15 goals – 22.5 points)

Club: Bodo/Glimt

League: Eliteserien (Norway) – Coefficient: x1.5 multiplier

Heading into more mainland Europe now and Faris Moumbagna is firing on all cylinders for Bodo/Glimt in the Eliteserien.

The Cameroonian frontman has 15 goals in 26 games so far this season but there are only a few more games for the 23-year-old to add more goals to his tally given that the season finishes on December 3.

8. Lautaro Martinez (12 goals – 24 points)

Club: Inter Milan

League: Serie A (Italy) – Coefficient: x2 multiplier

Our first well-known player on the list and it’s Inter Milan’s World Cup-winning striker Lautaro Martinez.

The Argentine forward is enjoying his club football this season and has lashed in 12 goals in as many games for the Italian giants, making him a real contender for the gong should he continue his superb domestic record in front of goal this season.

Martinez’s goals have helped Inter Milan secure top spot in Serie A after 12 games, with Simone Inzaghi’s men only beaten once so far this season.

7. Andrej Ilic (21 goals* – 24.5 points)

Club: RFS & Valerenga

League: Virsliga (Latvia) & Eliteserien (Norway) – Coefficient: x1.5 multiplier

One of two players on this list to have scored a glut of goals for two clubs and the first is Serbia’s Andrej Ilic, who played for RFS in Latvia before making the summer switch to Norway’s Eliteserien to run out for Valerenga.

The 23-year-old hit 14 goals in 25 league games for RFS but managed to carry over his fine form in front of goal, scoring another seven in 11 games in Norway.

He’s going to need to really up the ante if he is to win the European Golden Boot, though, given that the coefficient from both leagues gives him a 1.5x multipler. 

5=. Erling Haaland (13 goals – 26 points)

Club: Manchester City

League: Premier League (England) – Coefficient: x2 multiplier

Can Haaland retain his crown? You wouldn’t bet against the Man City man, that’s for sure.

The Norwegian star smashed a host of records in his debut Premier League campaign last season, which saw him pick up his first European Golden Boot before his side completed a famous Treble.

And he doesn’t look like he’s slowing down this time round, having already netted 13 goals in 12 Premier League games already this season. 

Although his future Ballon d’Or rival – and the next contender on this list – looks good to challenge him once again in the goalscoring department.

5=. Kylian Mbappe (13 goals – 26 points)

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

League: Ligue 1 (France) – Coefficient: x2 multiplier

‘Whatever you can do’ might be what runs through Kylian Mbappe’s mind whenever he sees Haaland add to his goal tally increase. 

The PSG star bagged a hat-trick at the weekend against Reims, and despite being slammed for other areas of his game by his own boss Luis Enrique, it is hard to criticise his quality when in front of goal.

Mbappe has 13 goals in 11 Ligue 1 games this season, which has seen the Parisian side claim top spot as we approach the winter break.

But while the Frenchman is enjoying a superb start to the season, there are others who besting him at this stage. 

4. Serhou Guirassy (15 goals – 30 points)

Club: Stuttgart

League: Bundesliga (Germany) – Coefficient: x2 multiplier

Enter Serhou Guirassy – the striker who is giving Kane a real run for his money in the Bundesliga.

The Stuttgart striker is absolutely flying this season, having scored an incredible 15 goals in just nine league appearances –  managing a better goals-per-minute ratio than the England skipper.

While Kane’s start to life in Bavaria is unmatched, Guirassy campaign has arguably been better, with it taking him just 31 shots to reach his incredible total so far.

Guirassy has already broken the record for the fastest player to reach 15 goals in a Bundesliga season – a record that was broken by Kane just a fortnight ago – and could be on to claim a whole lot more should he continue his ridiculous start. 

3. Harry Kane (17 goals – 34 points)

Club: Bayern Munich

League: Bundesliga (Germany) – Coefficient: x2 multiplier

What more is there to say about Kane’s start to life in the Bundesliga?

The former Tottenham striker has been in ridiculous form, scoring a whopping 17 league goals in just 11 games to make Bayern Munich a force to be reckoned with in all competitions.

While his ability to score goals has never been in doubt, the rate at which he’s putting them away is unprecedented in the German top-flight.

He has now incredibly outscored the Bundesliga’s top scorer from last season and before the weekend, had scored back-to-back hat-tricks in the league, before hitting a brace at the weekend. 

Kane has nine goals in his last four Bundesliga matches and looks to be the favourite to scoop this season’s European Golden Boot… but there are two other strikers currently ahead of him in the rankings. 

2. Amahl Pellegrino (23 goals – 34.5 points)

Club: Bodo/Glimt

League: Eliteserien (Norway) – Coefficient: x1.5 multiplier

It appears Bodo/Glimt have been absolutely blessed with goalscoring talent, given they have two players in the current top 10 for the European Golden Boot.

Moumbagna’s total of 15 for the season is impressive but Amahl Pellegrino is his team’s standout scorer with 23 this season.

However, like other contenders on this list who feature in the Eliteserien, they only have a few more games to increase their goal tally given their campaign ends on December 3.

While it’s expected that Kane and other will surpass this total over time, it’s been a superb season in front of goal for Pellegrino. 

1. Akor Adams (22 goals* – 36.5 points)

Club: Lillestrom & Montpellier

League: Eliteserien (Norway) & Ligue 1 (France) – Coefficient: x2 multiplier

Akor Adams has settled into life at Montpellier well following what was a big step up from Norway’s top division. 

The 23-year-old has already hit seven goals in 11 games this season, which comes off the back of a 15-goal campaign in the Eliteserien with Lillestrom – making him the second player in this list to have combined goal tallies and earn his spot in the race for the European Golden Boot.

He’s certainly nowhere near as prolific as the likes of Kane, Haaland and Mbappe in front of goal but Adams is out in front at this stage of the season.

Will he stay on top? Probably not. But the Nigerian centre forward has an eye for goal and should be someone to look out for as the season goes on.