Erling Haaland enters the 2026/27 Premier League season as the man everyone wants to dethrone — although, judging by the evidence, somebody may first need to explain to the Norwegian that the Golden Boot is supposed to be passed around occasionally.
Haaland won the 2025/26 Golden Boot with 27 goals, finishing five clear of Brentford’s Igor Thiago, while Manchester City team-mate Antoine Semenyo finished third with 17. It was Haaland’s third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons, leaving him one short of the competition record of four jointly held by Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah.
Haaland Wants a Fourth Golden Boot — His Rivals Want Him Gone From the Top
The most obvious threat is Igor Thiago, who has gone from promising striker to certified Golden Boot nuisance after scoring 22 league goals last season. The Premier League’s own Fantasy analysis describes the Brentford forward as Haaland’s main rival last season, with his shot and big-chance numbers also ranking second among forwards behind the Manchester City striker.
Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres also enter the conversation, alongside Ollie Watkins, Benjamin Šeško, João Pedro and Semenyo. Current 2026/27 Golden Boot markets continue to make Haaland the overwhelming favourite, but several of those challengers are priced as realistic alternatives — meaning the Norwegian may have to do more than simply turn up, point at the goal and start collecting.
Haaland Wants Four — Everyone Else Wants His Chair
The timing could hardly be more interesting. The new Premier League campaign begins on 21 August, with Haaland arriving after a remarkable World Cup for Norway in which he scored seven goals in five matches. His international form has done little to reassure rival defenders that the coming domestic season will be a peaceful one.
Manchester City are also beginning a new managerial era under Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola’s departure, adding another layer of uncertainty to the race. Yet Fantasy analysts still consider Haaland a major threat, despite his record £15.5m FPL price, while his opening fixtures include Bournemouth at home, Crystal Palace away and promoted Coventry City at home. In other words, the league has apparently decided to test everybody’s patience immediately.
The 2026/27 Golden Boot race therefore promises to be less about whether Haaland can score and more about whether anyone can score enough to keep him looking over his shoulder. With Thiago hungry for revenge, Isak and Gyökeres among the leading challengers and a long list of potential surprise contenders waiting for their opportunity, OGM News FC will be watching closely. The Golden Boot may belong to Haaland today, but the season has not yet agreed to leave it in his house.
