The award was founded in early 1985 by the British magazine
Open Rugby. It was first awarded to
Wally Lewis for his performances throughout 1984. No award was made between 1990 and 1998 due to organisational difficulties.
League Publications Ltd bought the rights to the award in 1999 and began awarding the Golden Boot on the same year it was assessed. Andrew Johns collected the award in 1999 and again in 2001, becoming the first player to win it twice.
Darren Lockyer repeated that feat, winning in 2003 and 2006 becoming the first player to win twice while playing in different positions. In 2011,
Rugby League World magazine began to award retrospective Golden Boots to fill in "the missing years" of 1990 to 1998, starting with
Garry Schofield who was adjudged to have won the 1990 Golden Boot. No further Golden Boots were retrospectively awarded as sponsors
Adidas withdrew their backing. The
International Rugby League purchased the rights to award the Golden Boot in 2017. ==Winners - Men==