Ranking International Golden Boot winners by nation after 2024 shortlist revealed

Ben Olawumi
Shaun Johnson, Ellery Hanley, Cooper Cronk

From left to right: Shaun Johnson (New Zealand), Ellery Hanley (Great Britain) and Cooper Cronk (Australia) have all won the Golden Boot

The shortlist for 2024’s Golden Boot award has been announced, with a fresh crop of players hoping to have their names added onto the roll of honour later this month.

Four different nations are represented on the six-man shortlist, which has been whittled down from a 17-man ‘long list’ announced earlier this month.

That long list had representatives from eight nations, including Australia, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and England.

First handed out in 1984, the annual award recognises the best international performer throughout the year.

Notably though, it hasn’t always been awarded annually – with gaps in the roll go honour owing to things including ‘organisational difficulties’, sponsorship problems and the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Very few players have earned the accolade more than once, with just THREE nations ever producing a winner.

Below is a ranking of those three nations – with England and Great Britain combined – ranked from least winners to most…

GOLDEN BOOT SHORTLIST: Golden Boot shortlist revealed, including England star and Australia trio

Ranking International Golden Boot winners by nation

The Golden Boot has had a number of names over the years, with the International Rugby League (board) the current sponsors – in place since 2018.

British magazine ‘Open Rugby’ were the initial creators and sponsors from 1984 to 1990, while another publication in ‘Rugby League World’ took over the sponsorship when the award resumed in 1999.

Rugby League World had the rights up until 2017, when the IRL board purchased them, introducing both women’s and wheelchair categories the following year.

Please note however that the ranking below is solely based upon winners from the men’s game…

3. England/Great Britain – 5

Tommy Makinson
Tommy Makinson (ball in hand) is England’s most recent winner of the Golden Boot, earning the accolade back in 2018
  • Ellery Hanley (1988)
  • Garry Schofield (1990)*
  • Andrew Farrell (2004)
  • Kevin Sinfield (2012)
  • Tommy Makinson (2018)

*Schofield was retrospectively awarded the 1990 Golden Boot in 2011

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    2. New Zealand – 7

    New Zealand
    New Zealand’s James-Fisher Harris, pictured lifting the Pacific Cup trophy in 2023, is the current holder of the Golden Boot
    • Hugh McGahan (1987)*
    • Stacey Jones (2002)
    • Benji Marshall (2010)
    • Shaun Johnson (2014)
    • Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2019)
    • Joseph Manu (2022)
    • James Fisher-Harris (2023)

    * The 1987 Golden Boot was shared by two winners

    QUIZ: Can you name every winner of the men’s Golden Boot award since 2000?

    1. Australia – 19

    Johnathan Thurston
    Australia’s Johnathan Thurston won the Golden Boot three times during his career – more times than any other player in the history of the award
    • Wally Lewis (1984)
    • Garry Jack (1985)
    • Brett Kenny (1986)
    • Peter Sterling (1987)*
    • Mal Meninga (1989)
    • Andrew Johns (1999)
    • Brad Fittler (2000)
    • Andrew Johns (2001)
    • Darren Lockyer (2003)
    • Anthony Minichiello (2005)
    • Darren Lockyer (2006)
    • Cameron Smith (2007)
    • Billy Slater (2008)
    • Greg Inglis (2009)
    • Johnathan Thurston (2011)
    • Johnathan Thurston (2013)
    • Johnathan Thurston (2015)
    • Cooper Cronk (2016)
    • Cameron Smith (2017)

    * The 1987 Golden Boot was shared by two winners

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      Facts & Stats Australia

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