Gareth Bale among leading scoring lights after Euro 2016 first round

By Paul Green

Image: Gareth Bale celebrates scoring in last week's Euro 2016 clash with England

The group stages of Euro 2016 are over, with the race well and truly on to see who will emerge as the tournament’s leading scorer.

Who will join the likes of Alan Shearer, David Villa, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten as European Championship Golden Boot winners?

After the group stage concluded on Wednesday, we look at some of the early pacesetters in the race to land the coveted Euro 2016 prize...

Gareth Bale (Wales, 3 goals)

Wales' stunning success in topping Group B ahead of England is in no small part thanks to a trio of strikes by Bale.

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The Real Madrid ace has been the height of consistency so far, finding the target in each of Wales' three games with Slovakia, England and Russia.

Trademark free-kicks were the order of the day in the 2-1 opening-match triumph over Slovakia and subsequent 2-1 defeat at the hands of the English.

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Image: Gareth Bale can barely contain his delight after making it 3-0 v Russia

A simple finish from inside the box after being picked out by Aaron Ramsey wrapped up Monday's 3-0 victory against the hapless Russians, as Bale and co marched on to the knockout stages.

Is there more to come from the Welsh legend? Only a brave man would bet against him adding to his tally.

Alvaro Morata (Spain, 3 goals)

Constant talk about a return to Real Madrid from Juventus certainly hasn't distracted Spain's Morata at the Euros.

A frustrating first game saw the 23-year-old replaced just after the hour by Aritz Aduriz before Gerard Pique went on to grab a late winner in a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic.

Image: Alvaro Morata (left) celebrates with Juanfran and Cesc Fabregas after scoring against Turkey

Morata was back on form with a brace as Turkey were swept aside 3-0 and a simple tap in opened the scoring against Croatia, even though the Spaniards went on to lose Tuesday's Group D finale 2-1.

That result might be thought of as a turn up, but Spain and Morata demonstrated in that earlier Turkish display what they are capable of if the mood takes them.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, 2 goals)

In the 3-3 draw with Hungary, the 31-year-old managed to get himself two goals to help his side through to the last 16 in a dramatic clash in Lyon. 

The first, a sublime flick through his legs, was vintage Ronaldo, while his glancing header to bring Portugal level for a third time was handed on a plate by some poor Hungary marking.

Image: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Portugal's 3-3 draw with Hungary

Just hours earlier he was throwing a reporter's microphone into a lake, but his rescue job on Wednesday night may breathe more calmness and confidence into the Real Madrid man as they face Croatia in the last 16 in Lens on Saturday.

Would you bet against him scoring?

Nani (Portugal, 2 goals)

Portugal's only other scorer so far in the tournament is Nani, who had his goal against Hungary laid onto him by his former Manchester United team-mate on Wednesday.

Image: Nani also has two goals in this Euro 2016 campaign

A threat coming in from the wings, the Fenerbahce man celebrated his 99th Portugal cap against Hungary with his 19th goal, ensuring his 100th cap will come at a major tournament against Croatia in Lens on Saturday.

He has been in rich goalscoring form over the past two seasons with Sporting Lisbon and Fenerbahce, scoring 12 in each campaign, more than he did in any of his nine previous. 

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium, 2 goals)

A lacklustre display by Lukaku in Belgium's 2-0 loss to Italy had placed a question mark over his inclusion in the starting XI to face the Republic of Ireland.

The striker responded to the critics in style with two goals in a straightforward victory, as Belgium underlined precisely why they had been one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Image: Romelu Lukaku scores his second goal for Belgium against Republic of Ireland

Lukaku broke the deadlock early in the second half with a clinical finish from just outside of the area.

And the completely unmarked Everton attacker had the freedom of the box to slot home his side's third on 70 minutes to finally get Belgium's Euro 2016 campaign underway.

Dimitri Payet (France, 2 goals)

Host nation France appeared to be on their way to a frustrating 1-1 first-game draw with Romania until a familiar face to Premier League followers saved the day.

Payet's spectacular goals in a memorable debut campaign with West Ham helped secure the 29-year-old's place in the France squad.

He had earlier turned provider to set up Oliver Giroud's opener, only to see that effort cancelled out by Bogdan Stancu's penalty.

Image: Dimitri Payet hits a fantastic winner for France against Romania

With 89 minutes on the clock, the home fans were in raptures when Payet unleashed an unstoppable 20-yard curler into the top corner to get France off to a winning start.

He left it even later in the following game, a 2-0 victory against Albania sealed thanks to a 96th-minute strike by the Hammers favourite.

Surprisingly neither goal came from a set piece, his speciality trick with his club. It seems almost inevitable a Payet free-kick is due to fly in soon.

Ivan Perisic (Croatia, 2 goals)

Croatia have been arguably one of the best sides in the tournament so far, with Tuesday's deserved 2-1 success over Spain ensuring it was they and not their more fancied opponents who topped Group D.

Perisic had already got off the mark in his side's 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic, a frustrating result considering they led 2-0 with quarter of an hour remaining.

Things didn't look promising when Alvaro Morata put Spain in front in the final group encounter.

Image: Ivan Perisic wheels away in celebration after putting Croatia 2-1 up late on against Spain

However, Nikola Kalinic restored parity on the stroke of half-time and it was left to Perisic to grab Croatia's 87th-minute winner, bursting into the box and placing a low angled shot beyond the reach of David de Gea.

That goal will inevitably give the Inter Milan attacker a huge boost going into the knockout stages as Croatia look to stun a few more of Europe's bigger guns.  

Balazs Dzsudzsak (Hungary, 2 goals)

They may have come in fortuitous fashion, but Hungary's Dzsudzsak is in contention after his two goals in quick succession in the 3-3 draw with Portugal on Wednesday.

The first, a deflected free-kick, was his 19th for Hungary, before his 20th came in similar fashion, off the boot of Nani and past the outstretched arm of Rui Patricio.

The 29-year-old Bursaspor winger scored just four goals last season for the Turkish side, but finds himself in contention for a personal gong at his country's first major tournament since 1986.

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