Several forwards have managed to win double awards in the same season as top scorers as well as Premier League champions.
Winning double accolades has always been remarkable for any player. For a striker, it is always special when one can win the league title as well as the individual award, such as the Golden Boot award, in the same season. This proves how one’s goals become instrumental in their campaign.
In the past two seasons, Erling Haaland has been the last one to achieve this. The Norwegian international remains the key figure for The Citizens to win the Premier League with his high goal-scoring record. Last season, he scored 27 goals and provided five assists, whereas in the 2022–23 campaign, the former Dortmund man even bagged more: 36 goals plus eight assists. The prolific forward is aiming to repeat himself next season to equal the previous records set by two notable frontmen in Premier League history, who happen to achieve the same double accolades too. Here are those and the other forwards who managed to do so:
Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
The former French star is the record holder for the Premier League Golden Boot award. He won it four times, two of which were at the same time as Arsenal clinched the Premier League title in 2001/02 and 2003/04. He scored 24 goals in the former and 30 goals in the latter season.
In the 2001/02 campaign, some of his important contributions were scored in two crucial matches against their rivals, Manchester United and Liverpool. Henry bagged a brace while crushing Sir Alex Ferguson’s men 3-1 at home and netted once in a 2-1 win over the Reds on the road. Meanwhile, in the 2003/04 season, the former Juventus and Monaco man had his moments in more games while scoring a brace in a 3-2 win over Newcastle, one while holding Manchester United in a 1-1 draw, a hattrick while dismantling Liverpool 4-2, and four goals when they hammered Leeds United 5-0. The current France U23 team for the Paris Olympic Games this summer was also awarded the top scorer in the following two seasons, 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Alan Shearer (Blackburn)
The next one is the prolific forward in the 1990s nicknamed ‘Super Al’. Shearer won the Premier League Golden Boot three times: in 1994/95, 1995/96, and 1996/97. Yet, only in the first one did he also win the league title with Blackburn Rovers. His remaining two accolades were snatched when he was already playing for the Magpies. It was the years when Newcastle United tickets were in huge demand as they regularly finished in the top five. In 1994/95, he netted 34 goals and provided 13 assists in the EPL. However, his goals mainly came in the big games. His most notable contributions were against Liverpool and Arsenal only. In the first leg, the former Three Lions skipper set up two goals in the former when Blackburn thumped the Reds 3-2, whereas in the latter, he netted a brace in a 3-1 win over the Gunners.
Unlike Henry, who only won top scorer awards in the English top flight, Shearer had won the Golden Boot in the international competition. The EPL record holder in goalscoring, with 260 goals so far, was awarded the same accolade at EURO 1996. The former Southampton man bagged five times, including a brace versus the Netherlands as England ran rampant 4-1 against De Oranje and one goal in the semifinal versus Germany.
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
The former Ivorian international was a Chelsea legend. He was the Premier League’s top scorer twice, in 2007 and 2010. Drogba also helped the Blues win the league in the latter, plus he clinched the FA Cup trophy as well. He bagged 29 goals and made 13 assists throughout the season.
Being a top scorer is not new for the former striker. Drogba also won the same award in the 2004 UEFA Cup when he brought Olympique Marseille to the final. He netted six times but, unfortunately, could not help them lift the trophy. They suffered a 2-0 defeat against Rafael Benitez’s Valencia in the summit.
Robin Van Persie (Manchester United)
The former Dutch forward was one of the few players who switched sides directly to the rival. He was previously Arsenal’s star for eight years before making a controversial move to Manchester United in 2012. The Gunners’ lack of chances for major silverware, especially the league title, and rejection to offer a new deal were believed to be his reason to join their arch-rival.
Van Persie immediately became United’s mainstay and won both the Premier League and the Golden Boot with 26 goals. The former Feyenoord man replicated his success as a leading goalscorer in the previous season with Arsenal. He even scored four more goals in 2011–12. The current Heerenven boss was lucky enough to taste a triumphant campaign in the league, as the 2012/13 season was the last season for Sir Alex Ferguson and United’s last successful campaign in the Premier League. They have been struggling and failing to reach the same heights ever since.
Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)
Berbatov is probably the last Bulgarian star at the top level. He was the key man at Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham before signing for Manchester United in 2008. The towering frontman helped The Red Devils clinch Premier League titles in 2009 and 2011, when he was also awarded the Golden Boot with 20 goals, sharing with the former United forward who joined Manchester City, Carlos Tevez.
Unfortunately, he gradually lost his place in the same season due to the arrival of Mexican forward Javier Chicharito Hernandez. The latter was even given a nod more often in the Champions League, including the Wembley final against Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
When talking about the leading goal scorer, CR7 cannot be ruled out. He won the EPL Golden Boot with 31 goals and the league title in 2008. It was also the first time he was awarded FIFA Best Player. The Portuguese international was instrumental in the Champions League as well when he lifted his first UCL after beating Chelsea on penalties.
That was only the beginning of his rise. Cristiano Ronaldo went on to win more accolades, both individual awards and silverware. In goal scoring, he was awarded the Champions League top scorer seven times, the La Liga top scorer three times, plus the Serie A Golden Boot, Capocannoniere, in 2021. The current Al Nassr man also won the same award in EURO 2020 and is currently the Saudi Pro League top scorer in 2023/24. CR7 has won four more FIFA Best Player awards in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.
Ruud Van Nilsterooy (Manchester United)
Last but not least, there was CR7’s senior in Old Trafford, Ruudtje. The former Dutch striker was a prolific frontman in the six-yard box. He has been a top scorer in three major leagues: the EPL, La Liga, and the Eredivisie. The former PSV man won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2003, the same year he delivered the league title for Manchester United. He bagged 25 goals and was in a race for the goal-scoring award with Thierry Henry, who only had one goal less.
Meanwhile, in La Liga, he also did the same with Real Madrid in 200, snatching a league title and the El Pichichi trophy. On his home soil, he already did it twice, in 1999 and 2000. Van Nilsterooy was also awarded the UCL Golden Shoe three times.
