How Aubameyang Shared the 2019 Premier League Golden Boot

Updated · 6 min read

The 2018-19 season remains a rarity in English football history. While the Golden Boot is often associated with a single dominant striker, the race that year remained deadlocked until the final whistle of the campaign. Achieving this honor requires consistency over 38 matches, but the specific dynamics of the final day often dictate whether a player stands alone or shares the trophy with others who hit the exact same goal tally.

Key numbers

Metric2018-19 Season
Winning Total22 Goals
Number of Winners3 Players
Tie-Break UsedNone
League Matches38

Who were the other players that shared the 2018-19 Premier League Golden Boot with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?

The 2018-19 Golden Boot was shared among Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sadio Mané, and Mohamed Salah. This trio represented the high-water mark for attacking talent in the league that year, as all three forwards consistently found the back of the net throughout the grueling campaign. For instance, Mohamed Salah’s ability to remain a constant threat for Liverpool was instrumental in keeping his tally competitive until the final whistle of the season.

However, a nuance exists regarding the composition of these goals. While the league treats every goal as equal, observers often note that the strikers’ roles varied significantly. Aubameyang frequently operated as a central poacher for Arsenal, whereas Mané and Salah often drifted into wider positions for Liverpool. This distinction highlights that there isn't one single way to reach the top of the scoring charts, even when the final numbers are identical.

How many goals did each of the three joint winners score during the 2018-19 Premier League season?

Each of the three players finished the 2018-19 season with exactly 22 goals, marking a rare three-way deadlock at the summit of the scoring charts.

PlayerGoals Scored
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang22
Sadio Mané22
Mohamed Salah22

These figures demonstrate the sheer parity between the league's top attackers, and you can use these numbers to evaluate the efficiency of their respective team's offensive strategies.

What criteria does the Premier League use to determine the Golden Boot winner if players are tied on goals?

The Premier League does not utilize tie-breaking criteria to separate players who finish with the same number of goals. If multiple players end the season with the identical total, the league simply awards the Golden Boot to all of them. This policy reflects a philosophy that the award recognizes the raw ability to score rather than secondary metrics like assists or the number of matches played. For example, if a player scores 22 goals in 25 appearances and another scores 22 in 38, they are still considered equal.

An exception to this simplicity is the perception of value among fans and pundits. While the league treats the winners as equals, supporters often debate who had the more impressive season based on the difficulty of the goals or the importance of the matches. Despite these subjective arguments, the official record remains indifferent to anything other than the goal count.

Which clubs did the three joint winners of the 2018-19 Golden Boot play for?

The three joint winners represented two of the most potent attacking sides in the league during the 2018-19 season.

  • Arsenal served as the home for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who arrived from Borussia Dortmund to spearhead their attack.
  • Liverpool employed both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, providing the tactical framework that allowed both players to flourish simultaneously.
  • Anfield functioned as the base for the two Liverpool stars, where their home form proved decisive in maintaining their high goal-scoring output throughout the year.

This concentration of talent at just two clubs underscored the dominance of these specific teams in the final third that season.

How did Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal-scoring performance in 2018-19 compare to his previous seasons in the Premier League?

The 2018-19 season was Aubameyang's first full campaign in England, establishing a high benchmark for his subsequent performances in the league.

SeasonGoals Scored
2017-1810
2018-1922
2019-2022

You can use this data to observe how quickly he adapted to the physical demands of the league compared to his later consistency.

What was the final matchday scenario that led to the three-way tie for the top scorer award?

On the final day, Aubameyang scored twice against Burnley to reach his total of 22, while Salah and Mané failed to add to their tallies in their final fixtures. A lot of people assume that the players must have been in direct competition during their final matches, but the reality is that these results were independent, as the players were spread across different stadiums playing against different opponents. The race was decided by the accumulation of goals across the entire 38-game schedule rather than a single head-to-head showdown.

Has there ever been a season where more than three players shared the Premier League Golden Boot?

No, there has never been a season where more than three players shared the Premier League Golden Boot. The 2018-19 campaign remains unique for having a three-way tie, as most other seasons feature either a single winner or a two-way split of the award.

What people often get wrong

  • Assuming assists determine the winner. The Premier League awards the Golden Boot based solely on total goals scored, regardless of assists or total playing time.
  • Thinking the award is split by percentage. Each player who ties for the top spot receives a full trophy, as the league does not divide the honor.
  • Ignoring the impact of penalties. Goals scored from the penalty spot count toward the total, which often influences the final standings in tight races.

How significant was this achievement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's career at Arsenal?

Winning the Golden Boot cemented Aubameyang's status as one of the most elite strikers in the world during his tenure at Arsenal.

  • Individual recognition provided the striker with a major personal accolade that validated his move to the Premier League.
  • Team morale received a boost, as having a league-leading scorer provided a focal point for the squad's attacking ambitions.
  • Market value for the player surged following this achievement, making him a central figure in the club's long-term planning.
  • Fan expectations rose significantly, as supporters began to view him as the primary catalyst for the team's success in every match.

Understanding Premier League Scoring Records

Review the final league table from the 2018-19 season to see how closely contested the top-scorer race was compared to other years. Focus on the goal-per-game ratio to better evaluate the efficiency of these strikers rather than just their final raw totals.