Top 10 Players With The Most Assists of All Time in Football History (2024)

Today, we take a look at the top 10 players with most assists. Football has many important aspects that make the base of the game. Scoring goals is important to win the games but making those goals is just as important. Players who assist the goals are called “play-makers”. And these players who set up the goals are just as important as the ones who facilitate of scoring the goals.

Top 10 players with most assists in football history

Here is the list of top 10 players with most assists.

10. Kevin de Bruyne (216 assists)

At rank 10 on our list of top 10 players with most assists during all times, we have Manchester City’s talisman Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian has taken over the Premier League as a player-maker ever since his arrival at the Etihad. During the 2019/20 season, Kevin de Bruyne provided 20 assists in the Premier League, equalling the record of most assists in a single Premier League season, previously held by Thierry Henry.

The attacking midfielder has registered 216 assists throughout his career with Genk, Wolfsburg, Chelsea FC, and Manchester City. Kevin de Bruyne has also scored 100 goals throughout his career with various clubs. The Belgian international is currently among the best Premier League players.

9. Thomas Muller (224 assists)

Thomas Muller needs no introduction. He has been a prolific goal scorer and play-maker for Bayern Munich. The German international has been at Bayern Munich ever since he started his footballing career.

Thomas Muller equaled the record for most assists in a single Bundesliga season. Muller set up 21 assists in 33 games besides scoring 8 goals in the season.

8. Franck Ribery (228 assists)

Franck Ribery is notoriously famous for nutmegging the defenders and sending them tumbling with his left foot. The former French international started his career with French club Boulogne before joining Bayern Munich in 2007 and spending the next 12 years of his career with them. Franck Ribery currently plays for Fiorentina.

The 37-year-old stacked up 228 assists till now in his career and has continued to play football at the highest level. Ribery formed a partnership with Arjen Robben and dominated Europe for a while in the past decade. Their famous partnership is known as “Robbery”.

7. Xavi (230 assists)

One of the best central midfielders of this century, Xavi is a living legend of Barcelona. A product of La Masia academy, Xavi started his career with Barcelona and played 700 games with them since his joining. Xavi is currently the coach of Qatar’s club Al Sadd.

The Spanish international racked up 230 assists in his career. He also registered a record number of assists for Barcelona in the 2008/2009 season. With 22 assists in that season, he still holds the record that hasn’t been broken till now. He also helped Spain win its first FIFA World Cup ever in 2010.

Xavi also received the IFHSS World Best Play-maker award 4 times- in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

6. Cesc Fabregas (234 assists)

Another product of La Masia academy, Fabregas is a name that needs no introduction. Fabregas is arguably one of the best playmakers of all time. He has represented clubs like Barcelona, Arsenal, and Chelsea in his career.

The Spanish international and a world cup winner, Fabregas has stacked up more than 10 assists in 9 seasons and registered 19 assists in a single season for Chelsea that won the Premier League in the 2014/15 season. Fabregas was also the player who assisted Andreas Iniesta to score the winning goal in the World Cup Final for Spain.

5. Angel Di Maria (235 assists)

The Argentinian International, di Maria has been an exceptional player and play-maker for any club he has played with. Di Maria was probably Real Madrid’s best player in the 2013/14 season. He was then sold to Manchester United where he did not excel much but still managed to rack up 11 assists in 27 games for Manchester United.

Angel di Maria found his rhythm back alongside the world’s finest players at PSG. He also scored 8 goals and registered 14 assists this season in Ligue 1 for the French champions.

4. Mesut Ozil (253 assists)

Mesut Ozil is easily one of the best playmakers of this generation without any doubt. The German international started his career with FC Schalke in 2003. He was then transferred to SV Werder Bremen in 2008 before joining Real Madrid in 2010. Ozil excelled with Real Madrid but he was forced to call it a day on his career at Real Madrid due to some horrific top level management decisions. After 3 seasons at Madrid, Mesut Ozil was sold to Arsenal in 2013.

The 31-year-old has racked up 253 assists throughout his career. He may not be in his prime at Arsenal anymore, yet there is no doubt he had a stellar career overall. A world cup winner with Germany, Mesut Ozil is one of the best-attacking midfielders of this century with an assist rate of 0.39. He is also ranked in the top three players with the most assists in the Premier League.

3. Luis Suarez (256 assists)

Luis Suarez is arguably one of the best strikers of this decade and alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona, he formed football’s most lethal front three. Luis Suarez is a great all-round technician in addition to scoring goals. He is one of the top 10 players with most assists. The striker started his career at Club Nacional de Football in 2005. He was then signed by AFC Ajax in 2007. Liverpool signed Luis Suarez from AFC Ajax in 2011 before joining Barcelona in 2014. Luis Suarez currently plays for Atletico de Madrid.

Suarez had a remarkable career with Barcelona and Liverpool. He managed to register a whopping 256 assists over the course of his career with both the club and country. He is easily one of the most ‘complete’ forwards of modern football, and some even say he is not been given the appreciation he deserves.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (258 assists)

We have covered lots of ground so far in this article. So who has the second most assists in football history? None other than Cristiano Ronaldo.

One of the greatest players to ever step foot on the pitch, the Real Madrid legend, Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the most complete forward in football history. Having started his footballing career with Sporting CF in 2002, Ronaldo joined Manchester United in 2003. The world came to know about a young Ronaldo in his time with Manchester United. No surprise he attracted the attention of big clubs during his time with Manchester and Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid in 2009. After 11 seasons at Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo bid farewell to the Los Blancos and joined Italian Serie A side Juventus in 2018.

Even at the age of 35 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be the best player in the world. The 5-time Balon d’Or winner has racked up 258 assists throughout his career and continues to break records.

1. Lionel Messi (319 assists)

You all might be thinking from the start that who has the most assists in football history? Well here is your answer; it’s none other than Lionel Messi. Was there ever any doubt though?

The numbers speak for themselves. Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the best player on the planet. He took the world by storm ever since he made his Barcelona debut as a teenager. Lionel Messi started his career with Barcelona and has been a Barcelona player ever since. The loyalty factor that we don’t often see in football these days.

The 7-time Balon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi has registered a whopping 319 assists over the course of his career for both the club and country. Messi is the most complete forward of this generation. He has got everything he needs as a forward. He has an impeccable vision, a sight for goal, and a great dribbler. In 2021 Messi transferred to PSG after the star announced that he would not be renewing his contract with his long-time club Barcelona.