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The run for the 2024 Copa America Golden Boot is likely to be as fiercely contested as the battle for the trophy itself.
Several outstanding strikers will be strutting their stuff on several Copa America stadiums, hosted in the United States. Many will be dreaming of adding their name to a glittering roll of honor that includes stars like Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Gabriel Batistuta and Pele.
Let’s look through the leading contenders for the top striker at the tournament to see who stands out in the current Copa America Golden Boot odds.
How to Find a Top Goalscorer Bet
There are several factors to take into account when betting on Copa America, especially when trying to predict who will win the Copa America Golden Boot for the top goalscorer.
Look for a forward player who is scoring regularly for his club and country – and who is likely to be included in his nation’s line-up when the games kick off.
Ideally, you want a striker whose team will go deep in the tournament. But bear in mind that your pick may need only three or four goals to win the Copa America Golden Boot. A hat-trick against a weaker nation in the first group match could put your man on the brink of scoring glory.
It’s also worth remembering that assists can be crucial. If more than one player top-scores during the tournament, the number of assists they’ve provided decides who wins the accolade.
So check out how often your selection sets up goals for other players.
Copa America Golden Boot Odds
Here are the latest Copa America top goalscorer odds from Bovada, which you can compare with the other best offshore sportsbooks.
It’s no surprise to see Lionel Messi heading the market – after all, he took the award in 2021 as he led Argentina to their 15th Copa America triumph.
| Player | Nation | Odds |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | +250 |
| Vinicius Junior | Brazil | +500 |
| Darwin Nunez | Uruguay | +600 |
| Julian Alvarez | Argentina | +750 |
| Lautaro Martinez | Argentina | +750 |
| Rodrygo | Brazil | +900 |
| Gabriel Martinelli | Brazil | +1200 |
| Endrick | Brazil | +1800 |
| Raphinha | Brazil | +2500 |
Lionel Messi
For nearly 20 years, the diminutive forward from Rosario has been at the peak of the world game.
Even though he reaches his 37th birthday the day before Argentina’s second group match, Messi has serious claims to be the best soccer player ever, showing no sign of losing his appetite for goals and glory.
With eight goals in eight international caps in 2023, on the back of leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar, it is no wonder that he is a short-priced favorite, with his nation sure to go deep in this tournament.
Vinicius Junior
He may be nearly 13 years younger than Messi, but Vinicius Junior is the Argentine legend’s closest Golden Boot rival according to the Copa America top goalscorer odds.
Ever since Vinicius arrived at Real Madrid just after his 18th birthday, he has looked the complete forward.
His goals have helped Madrid to two Champions League triumphs – although his return at international level has been less impressive.
If Brazil can shake off their recent inconsistency, Vinicius is likely to be the main beneficiary in a forward line that ripples with goalscoring potential.
Julian Alvarez
If Messi doesn’t score the goals that propel Argentina towards another Copa America title, Alvarez could step up to fill the breach.
Even though he wasn’t a regular starter at the 2022 World Cup, he still scored three times on Argentina’s run to the trophy.
Alvarez has impressed during his spell at Manchester City, though there are reports he will move to one of the leading European sides this summer.
His price tag could be inflated if he hits peak form through the tournament in the United States first.
Darwin Nunez
Uruguay are a shrewd bet to go a long way at the Copa America, and Nunez may be the man whose goals drive them forward.
His chances of being Copa America top goalscorer are boosted by the fact that Uruguay’s first games are against Bolivia and Panama, and there should be plenty of chances to score against them.
Will Nunez take them? He has delighted and frustrated Liverpool fans since moving to the EPL, with moments of utter brilliance mingled with glaring misses and poor decisions.
However, his current Copa America Golden Boot odds make him a shrewd value bet to top the scoring charts at the tournament.
Lautaro Martinez
Another Argentina forward who could benefit from the excessive attention opposition defenses pay to Messi.
The 26-year-old is in his prime, and comes to the tournament on the back of being top scorer in Serie A, with 24 goals for Internazionale.
That is the third season running in which he has topped 20 goals for Inter, and his international record of 22 in 56 caps is also a high strike rate.
If, as expected, Argentina goes a long way in the tournament, his current Copa America top goalscorer odds could look extremely generous.
Rodrygo
Alongside his club-mate Vinicius, Rodrygo played a starring role as Real Madrid advanced to yet another UEFA Champions League triumph in 2023-24.
This was the season in which he added a cutting edge to his creative forward play, as the Brazilian reached double figures in La Liga for the first time and contributed some vital goals in Europe too.
His hopes of becoming Copa America top goalscorer depends massively on Brazil putting their recent inconsistent form behind them. If the Selecao hit the heights they are capable of, Rodrygo could have a serious chance of winning the Golden Boot.
Copa America Golden Boot Long Shots
It could be worth looking further down the list of Copa America Golden Boot odds to pick out a couple of players with an outside chance of topping the scoring charts in the United States.
One such man is Christian Pulisic. The host nation have group matches against Bolivia and Panama that could provide rich pickings, and Pulisic is sure to be heading the USA attack.
His side are likely to reach the knockout stages, which will give him further opportunities to shine at odds of +4200.
Another striker with the same odds is Luis Diaz of Colombia.
His team are quietly fancied to shine in Group D and to progress a long way in the tournament – and don’t forget, he scored the same number of goals (four) as Messi at the last Copa America.
He lost out on the Golden Boot only because the Argentina talisman contributed five assists.
Conclusion
One simple fact that adds to the challenge of identifying the Copa America Golden Boot is that this is an individual honor in a team sport.
However well a forward plays, so much depends on the overall team performance in terms of his chances of progressing through the rounds and getting more opportunities to add to his tally.
That’s one of the key factors – along with recent form, and the strength of the opposition in the group stages – that you should take into account when weighing up Copa America top goalscorer odds.
You can check the best Copa America betting sites for the latest golden boot odds, as well as pick up some tips for betting on soccer.
Three or four goals has been enough to claim the award in most recent tournaments. Who do you predict will find the net enough times to win it in 2024?
Recommended bet
- Darwin Nunez (Uruguay) to win the Golden Boot (taken from Bovada Sports): +600
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References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copa_Am%C3%A9rica_records_and_statistics (Wikipedia Copa America Records and Statistics)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica (Wikipedia Copa America 2024 Details)
- https://www.foottheball.com/copa-america/copa-america-2021-golden-boot-golden-glove-golden-ball-best-player-argentina-messi-brazil-thiago-silva/ (FootTheBall)
