Called the “beautiful game”, football has undergone phenomenal changes over the decades, which have undoubtedly created golden memories, legendary players and moments that shaped the legacy of the sport. Football has evolved and can be heard in the stadium chants and the goals netted as the sport has morphed from the raw grit of early tournaments to the polished finesse of the game we see today. Central to these historic odysseys are the stars who rose above the rest: the Golden Boot winners, whose goal-scoring feats defined their respective eras.
Fans can enjoy watching football live streaming on Xoilac TV to never miss classic goals and thrilling action – welcome to THE HEAVEN OF THE GAME.
So, without further ado, let’s take a trip through the greatest decades in football, rejoicing the players who defined them and the iconic moments that etched them in time.
The 1950s — Rise From The Ashes Of War >> The Dawn Of Legends
Football returned to popularity during the 1950s, following the destruction of World War II. And the stadiums that to the naked eye looked like they were bombed stony deserted by conflict and hatred roared back to life as nations slowly fell back in love with the game. It was a decade which brought us legends such as Ferenc Puskás, who would famously make a name for himself with a legendary left foot, and Alfredo Di Stéfano, the pulse of Real Madrid’s early success.
Hungary fielded their fabled “Magical Magyars” and astounded with innovative tactics in the 1954 FIFA World Cup — only to lose to West Germany in the infamous “Miracle of Bern.” Eleven years on, despite Hungary losing, the football world witnessed an unprecedented level of technical excellence and tactical play that would set the tone for generations.
Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis won the Golden Boot for the 1954 World Cup with 11 goals, a long-standing standard for greatness at the international tournament.
The Pelé Era and the Growth of International Soccer — The 1960s
It was the 1960s and Pelé ruled the world both within and beyond the realm of football. He burst onto the scene in 1958 as a 17-year-old, won the World Cup again in 1962 and confirmed his greatness at the same time the ’60s were capitalising on the ‘easier days of the ’50s. That combination of athleticism, skill, charisma, and scoring led to worldwide interest in football and contributed to making it a global passion.
We had to wait until the 1966 World Cup in England for a fresh dose of drama. The decade where tactics in football matured, where pressing and zonal defending came around. Geoff Hurst became the first (and still the only) player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, leading England to their only title.
In 1966, Portugal’s Eusébio won the Golden Boot with nine goals. The hallmarks of a golden generation of Portuguese football displayed all his athletic brilliance and explosive power.
The Artsy Side Of The 1970s And Tactical Precision
If you had to sum up the 1970s in one word, it would. The 1970 Brazil team, arguably the best of all time, spewed their exuberant football all over the world. Pelé, Jairzinho, and Tostão emerged soothed genius in team richness.
At the same time, Europe was going through a revolution of its own: Total Football. Johan Cruyff lit up the Netherlands playing a different game. Roles were fluidized and positional with illuminations that were blinkered.
In 1974, Poland’s Grzegorz Lato was awarded the Golden Boot with seven goals, eclipsing Cruyff’s magic while carrying Poland to a surprising third place finish.
Argentina’s Mario Kempes — winner of the Golden Boot and the trophy herself — sealed the decade’s end with a display of South American dominance in 1978.
Magical Maradona, Passion, and Power: The 1980s
The eighties were a time for petering melodrama and heated rivalries. As European club football enjoyed widespread expansion, the international scene was at the feet of a different man, Diego Maradona. Perhaps the most iconic World Cup performance remains that of the great Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup.
Maradona’s genius defined a range, from the infamous “Hand of God” to the breathtaking solo goal against England. Even in death, his leadership and wizardry guided Argentina to a second World Cup crown, and his pull was felt far beyond the pitch.
Motivated by a lethal instinct, Gary Lineker of England topped that list in 1986, justifying the Golden Boot with six strikes. The rise of competition and attacking flair of the ’80s was evident in his golden run.
It was also the decade of Italian club dominance, with AC Milan and Juventus in particular becoming impressive champions of Europe, introducing both tactical sophistication and financial prowess to the modern game.
The 90s: The Internationalization of the game
It was the 1990s that really propelled football onto the world stage. Satellite TV, international transfers, and expanded tournaments, with new strategies that made following peoples robust, especially in terms of tourism.
The USA played four matches in the World Cup in 1994, which saw record attendance and new audiences for the game. Alongside them, there were the standout stars, including Romário, Roberto Baggio and Hristo Stoichkov. Stoichkov shared the Golden Boot with Oleg Salenko of Russia, who netted a record five goals in one match.
It was at France ’98 that Zinedine Zidane came to the world – two headed goals in the final against Brazil secured France’s first title. Davor Šuker of Croatia emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals and his story encapsulated the emergence of new powers on football’s greatest stage.
The ’90s also saw the Champions League, having been rebranded in 1992, cement club football’s place in a new commercial world, creating global football superstars.
Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and the Golden Era Of Icons: The 2000s
The 21st century brought new legends and also more professionalism to the sport. Ronaldo and Rivaldo dazzled the early 2000s, and still resulted in Brazil conquering the 2002 World Cup. Ronaldo won the Golden Boot with eight goals to re-establish himself as the best player in the world and vindicated his comeback.
Never before has this game seen a combination of speed, strength and skill like this. It saw the rise of European greats such as Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane and Miroslav Klose but it also brought African football to another level with Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba shining brightly.
It sped up the game tactically, added more contact, and brought in more analytics. Sheer dominance (not the trophy count), philosophy and flair came from the likes of FC Barcelona and Manchester United.
Messi and Ronaldo, Tactical Revolutions and the 2010s
The greatest modern football rivalry of the 2010s: Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo. They broke records for goals scored season after season and dominated on the club and international stages.
And for a period, Denmark suddenly had a hand on the trophy, flipping 180 through the Euro 1990s, while Spain dominated a century with their tiki-taka fare, using the Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup as well as the Euro 2012. Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and co. brought an entirely new theoretical and technical control to the midfield.
In the 2014 World Cup, James Rodríguez was the revelation of tournament, scoring six goals and winning the Golden Boot, before moving to Real Madrid. At the last tournament in 2018, it was Kylian Mbappe who broke through, but the iconic award of the Golden Boot went to England’s Harry Kane, with six goals to his name.
With it came the tactical revolution of high pressing, false nines and possession based systems which made the game both more intelligent but more exciting to play.
Decade of the 2020s — the Making of a New Golden Age
An era of another kind of gold — the 2020s are still writing their chapters in football history. Enter Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior, the young stars who are leading the way. Not to forget the ubiquity of analytics, video technology (VAR) and global streaming machines but hey fans have never been closer to the game.
Last summer’s Euro 2020 — delayed in 2020 due to the pandemic — provided moments of both heartbreak and heroism. The heat of modern international football most vividly illustrated by Italy’s triumph, and England’s near miss Lionel Messi finally had the coveted trophy in his hands at the end of the 2022 World Cup, sealing his place in the pantheon of footballs greats.
This decade is going to see the game become ever more inclusive, connected and exciting.
Legacy of the Golden Boot
The Golden Boot is not just an award It represents an athlete’s ability to persevere, to bear the hopes of a country or a club, and to perform under pressure. History of football, punctuated by the Golden Boot winners, from Kocsis to Kane
Flair, power, precision; each era of the game has brought its own flavour and these top scorers personify the spirit of their times.
Final note: Yesterday, today, and a streaming tomorrow
The chronicles of football have the gleam of golden boots and eras, the unforgettable goals that still echo in stadiums and living rooms, unmatched passion, agony and ecstasy. Each decade has stamped its mark on the game, creating a pathway for the next breed of superstars.
Fans can watch live football matches on Xoilactv — where the spirit of every era lives on with every kick, every pass, and every goal — and to be part of football’s story as it develops, ensuring that they never miss another iconic moment in the game.
