Golden Boot goes down to the wire

Germany striker Mario Gomez and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo are heavy favourites to win the Euro 2012 Golden Boot award.

The pair have scored three goals so far this tournament and are expected to add to their tallies in the semi-finals.

Two other players – Russia’s Alan Dzagoev and Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic – are also on three goals but both have exited the tournament.

Gomez was surprisingly left out of the team for Germany’s quarter-final with Greece but is expected to return to the line-up for the semi-final against Italy on Thursday.

With goals in all of Germany’s three group games, the Bayern Munich striker is the favourite with the bookmakers to win the coveted title.

After a quiet start to the tournament, Ronaldo netted two goals in Portugal’s final group game against the Netherlands.

The Real Madrid man then scored the winner in his side’s quarter-final against the Czech Republic to take him to three as well.

Spaniards Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas are each on two goals ahead of their semi-final against Portugal.

Miroslav Klose is an outside chance for the title but he has only one goal so far and is not likely to start for Germany, while Italy’s Mario Balotelli also has scored just one goal.

The two semi-finals are on Wednesday and Thursday this week while the final is on Sunday.