In one of the most surprising twists in European football this season, the race for the European Golden Boot has taken an unexpected turn — and the new frontrunner doesn’t play in any of the top five leagues. His name? Darko Lemajic, a Serbian striker lighting up the Latvian Virslīga with a scoring record that’s leaving stars like Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane trailing behind.

A Shocking Leader in the Golden Boot Race

While Mbappé and Haaland are both sitting at 13 league goals — impressive by any standard — Lemajic has already found the net 23 times for FK RFS, putting him comfortably ahead in raw numbers.

Here’s where it gets interesting: the Golden Boot isn’t just about goals; it’s about weighted points based on league coefficients:

• Top 5 leagues (Spain, England, Germany, Italy, France): goals × 2
• Mid-tier leagues: goals × 1.5
• Lower-tier leagues: goals × 1

So even though Lemajic’s goals are “worth less” on paper, his sheer consistency puts him in genuine contention — a rare feat for a player outside Europe’s spotlight.

Who Is Darko Lemajic?

• Born: August 20, 1993 — Belgrade, Serbia
• Height: 1.99m (6'6")
• Position: Traditional center forward
• Club: FK RFS (Latvia)

After stints in Serbia, Belgium, and other smaller clubs, Lemajic’s career has exploded since joining RFS, where he’s become a relentless scoring machine. The 31-year-old’s rise has been slow, steady, and built on pure efficiency — something that’s suddenly put him in the European conversation.

Why Isn’t Everyone Talking About Him?

Simple: visibility. The Latvian Virslīga doesn’t get the same exposure as the Premier League, LaLiga, or Bundesliga. And because its coefficient is lower, Lemajic’s goals don’t translate to as many Golden Boot points as those of Mbappé or Haaland.

Still, his numbers demand respect — and serve as a reminder that goal-scoring excellence isn’t exclusive to the footballing elite.

What It Means for the Golden Boot Race

If Lemajic keeps scoring at this pace, he could force Europe’s biggest stars to keep pushing until the very end of the season. Even if he doesn’t win it, his run proves a powerful point: not all greatness happens under the brightest lights.

In a football world obsessed with superstars and billion-euro clubs, Darko Lemajic is a refreshing anomaly — proof that sometimes, the real stories are written far from the big stadiums and global headlines.