Can former Cardiff City flop win the race for the Belgian Pro League golden boot? | OneFootball

The Belgian Pro League play-offs kick off this weekend, and while the battle for European tickets will be the major focus, there is also a tight contest for the Golden Boot this season. Five players have hit double figures this season, with three goals separating the player at the top with the player sitting in fifth. Of those five, three are level with 10 goals. One of those is former Cardiff City flop Wilfried Kanga.

Kanga earned his move to Cardiff City after playing well for Standard Liege while on loan from Hertha Berlin. The Ivorian striker scored 12 goals in 37 games for Standard, and the following season he was sent out on loan by Hertha to Cardiff City. Kanga played 16 games for the Welsh side, but failed to score a single goal. That January, his loan deal with Cardiff City was terminated, and the striker joined Dinamo Zagreb. Kanga spent six months in Croatia, but after three goals in 16 games, he returned to Belgium with Gent.

Clearly, Kanga enjoys playing in Belgium. So far this season, he has scored 10 goals for Gent, alongside five assists. Gent have been desperate for a physical striker and Kanga fits the bill perfectly. The Buffaloes will now be hoping he can provide even more goals during the play-offs as the side looks to make a return to European football.

Kanga is currently six goals off of his best ever campaign, which came during the 2021/2022 season when he played for Swiss side Young Boys. That year, he scored 16 goals in 41 games. If he wants to win the golden boot this season, he may well need to go beyond that. Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi is leading the way with 13, while former Borussia Dortmund winger Thorgan Hazard is behind him on 12.

Last season, Tolu Arokodare finished level on goals with Adriano Bertaccini. It does not feel like any player will hit 20 goals this season, but with 10 games to go, all of the top five have a chance to do so and win the race for the golden boot. It would be quite a return for Kanga, after his struggles with Cardiff City, to win a golden boot the following season.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson