Argentine set for golden shoe

There are few individual gongs that have eluded Lionel Messi and he is fast closing in on one that is missing from his trophy cabinet: the European Golden Shoe (www.eurotopfoot.com).

The Argentina forward has 31 goals in La Liga this season after his double for Barcelona against Tenerife on Tuesday, giving him 62 points in the race to be named the continent's leading marksman with two matches to play.

Udinese's Antonio Di Natale, Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, who all have 26 goals and 52 points, have a slim chance of overhauling FIFA World Player of the Year Messi, with two Serie A matches and one Premier League game left.