GOALKEEPER Simon Mignolet has won the Golden Boot in a bizarre twist.
The former Liverpool man is now back in his homeland of Belgium with Club Brugge.
But the shot-stopper proved his class as he collected the prestigious gong.
For most, the golden boot is awarded to the top goalscorer.
But in the Belgian Pro League, it goes to the league’s best player for the calendar year.
And Mignolet was crowned the Belgian top flight’s standout star for 2022, collecting the trophy alongside his wife Jasmien Claes.
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He pipped Union SG midfielder Casper Nielsen and Genk forward Mike Ndayishimiye to the gong.
Mignolet becomes the first goalkeeper to land the award since 1989.
And he follows in the footsteps of Vincent Kompany and Thorgan Hazard who both won the Golden Boot – but Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans both missed out.
Mignolet helped Club Brugge to a third-straight league title in 2022.
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The Black and Blues, now managed by Scott Parker, finished second behind Union SG in the regular season but won four and drew two of the six play-off matches – conceding just two goals – to be crowned champions.
That in turn guaranteed Club Brugge a spot in this season’s Champions League group stages.
The Belgian side beat Bayer Leverkusen, Porto and Atletico Madrid without conceding on their way to securing second spot in Group B.
Club Brugge face Benfica in the last 16 for a place in the quarter-finals.
And Mignolet will need to continue his top form.
The former Reds and Sunderland ‘keeper has kept 13 clean sheets in 31 appearances this season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
