Cody Gakpo has left Euro 2024 with Golden Boot award after UEFA rule change

Cody Gakpo has been awarded the Golden Boot after the end of Euro 2024, sharing the prize with five other players after a change of rules from UEFA.

Gakpo was arguably the Netherlands’ best player as they reached the semi-finals of this summer’s Euros, shining in his natural role on the left wing.

Though the Dutch eventually missed out on a place in the final to England, the 25-year-old has come away with an individual honour.

Having scored three goals at the tournament in Germany, Gakpo is one of six players to share this year’s Golden Boot award.

This comes after UEFA determined that assists would no longer be considered as a tie-breaker in the event of multiple players scoring the same number of goals, as has been the case in the past.

It means Gakpo will share the prize with England’s Harry Kane, Spain’s Dani Olmo, Germany’s Jamal Musiala, Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz and Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze.

Kane and Olmo both had the opportunity to take the award for themselves, but neither found the back of the net in Sunday’s final.

If assists had been considered the Golden Boot would have gone to Olmo, with the Spain midfielder also having set up two goals for his team-mates.

Gakpo scored three and assisted one, and was briefly credited with a fourth goal before the Netherlands’ winner against Turkiye in the quarter-finals was adjudged to be a Mert Muldur own goal.

Olmo, with five, was the only player to contribute to more goals at the tournament than Gakpo, with Mikautadze also having a hand in four.

It is the first time the award has been shared since Euro 2000, when Patrick Kluivert and Savo Milosevic both netted five times.

The last Liverpool player to win the Golden Boot was Milan Baros, who scored five for the Czech Republic at the 2004 edition of the tournament.

Spain midfielder Rodri was named Player of the Tournament this time around, while Lamine Yamal came away with Young Player of the Tournament.