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The 21st century has witnessed some of the greatest players to have ever graced football. Many players who have appeared in this era have gone on to challenge the legacies of those who conquered the football world in previous generations.
No two names are more significant examples of this than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine and the Portuguese have cotinued to go toe-to-toe over the last decade and a half and redefined the expectations from modern footballers. The pair won a staggering 11 Ballons d'Or between them.
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Apart from the two prominent names such as these, there have been several others who have carved out immortal legacies for themselves. They have managed to do so in many ways — be it with their goals, assists, clean sheets, or with a catalogue of iconic and unforgettable moments.
Here, we take a look at active players from Europe's top five leagues with the most number of assists to their name.
#5 David Silva | Real Sociedad | 122
La Real's latest addition arrived at the club under strange circumstances this summer. David Silva was all set to join Lazio on a free transfer after his contract expired with Manchester City, but ultimately signed for Real Sociedad after they offered him a deal in the eleventh hour. Regardless of the controversy, the fact is that the Spaniards have made an excellent acquisition on a free.
Silva has been a colossal player not just for City's accolades, but also for their status among Europe's best clubs in the last decade. The 34-year-old was cataclytic for City, helping them grow into one of the biggest forces in England, constantly pulling strings and making the difference for his side. The four-time Premier League champion is widely regarded as one of the league's most excellent imports.
Silva racked up 60 goals along with 93 assists in his 309 league games for Manchester City, etching his name into the history books of both his club and the league. He has the fifth-most number of assists among active players, with 122 to his name. In honour of his contributions to the club's illustrious decade, City have announced a David Silva statue to be unveiled outside the Etihad campus. Undoubtedly a modern great of the game.
#4 Mesut Ozil | Arsenal | 132
Although the sight of him being completely frozen out of the squad for over a year may not paint a pretty picture, Mesut Ozil was nearly unparalleled in his heyday. The German is one of the most unique players football has witnessed in the last couple of decades.
The Arsenal man was never the most physically dominant player, and in fact, he has drawn heavy criticism for a perceived lack of work ethic on the pitch. However, when on form, Ozil is a true creative genius in his own right. Apart from his contributions to the clubs he played for, including Real Madrid and Arsenal, the 31-year-old was a crucial figure in Germany's historic FIFA World Cup win in 2014.
Ozil has registered over 25 assists in Premier League, LaLiga Santander, Bundesliga, and the UEFA Champions League in what has been a stellar career. This status remains despite his current lack of football in North London. Ozil was always spoken highly of by other managers, and was particularly admired by Jose Mourinho. Speaking on the five-time German Player of the Year in 2013, the Portuguese expressed;
"[Mesut] Ozil is unique. There is no copy of him, not even a bad copy. He is the best No.10 in the world. He makes things very easy for me and for his team-mates with his football vision and the decisions he makes."
Ozil is the active player with the fourth highest number of assists in Europe, having set up 132 goals.
Also read: 5 LaLiga players who would be perfect for the Premier League
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo | Juventus | 134
A name that needs little introduction, Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the finest players of all-time, let alone that of the current generation. The Portuguese has been the epitome of consistency and has thrilled spectators all over the world with his ability for well over a decade now.
Ronaldo has achieved glory across all fronts he's competed on, having led both his nation and clubs to unprecedented success. He led Portugal to their first-ever UEFA European title in 2016, and followed it up with the Nations League title in 2019. The Juventus superstar's list of accolades at club-level is endless, but perhaps none of them are more breathtaking than his contribution to Real Madrid's famed 'three-peat' of the UCL.
His goalscoring ability is arguably unparalleled, but what may come as a surprise is his involvement in this list of most assists among active players. Ronaldo comes in at third place with 134 assists to his name, having laid off two more league goals than Ozil. Ronaldo also has over 700 competitive goals to his name, with 130 of them coming in the UCL — making him the highest scorer in the competition.
#2 Cesc Fabregas | AS Monaco | 146
The fourth and final player on this list who plied their trade in the Premier League, Cesc Fabregas was one of the most influential players in the English top-flight. Having played for two London rivals in Arsenal and Chelsea, the Spaniard has won honours and records aplenty during his stay in England.
Fabregas is the player with the second-most number of assists in Premier League with a stunning 111 of them to his name. The Spain great is one of only four players to breach the 100 assist barrier, and he did so in 350 games for the Blues and the Gunners. The two-time Premier League champion is considered one of the greatest midfielders to have played in England, and he has a LaLiga title to his name which he won with Barcelona.
The former Chelsea legend also has two Euros and a World Cup title to show for, making him one of the most successful active players in Europe. He also is the player with the second-most number of assists among them, having set up 146 league goals. The metronomic Spaniard has achieved incredible things throughout his glorious career, but remains only behind one player — his former teammate — on this list.
#1 Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 183
It's safe to say the Lionel Messi is currently the most documented figure in football. Due to the ongoing transfer saga in Spain after his reported wish to leave Catalunya, the Argentine is the talk of this summer — and the discussions on his future will only get more intense with each passing day.
There is little doubt about Messi's place amongst the best of the best names to have played the game. After nearly 20 years with Barcelona, Messi has racked up six Ballons d'Or, four UCLs, and a breathtaking ten LaLiga Santander titles — the most of any active player and just two behind record-holder Paco Gento (12). Much like his contemporary Ronaldo, Messi has also been a player of sublime longevity and consistency, having scored 444 (!) goals in 485 LaLiga appearances. However, what makes the Barcelona skipper stand out is his ability to do much more than score goals for his side.
His playmaking ability is arguably second to none, and is currently the active player with the most number of assists in Europe. Messi's tally of 183 assists goes on to highlight his ability to pick out perfectly-weighted passes to set up goals for his teammates. Along with this unbelievable number of assists, Messi also has over 700 goals to his name for club and country. Simply one of the most iconic players to have ever set foot onto a football pitch.
Also read: 5 Greatest career achievements of Lionel Messi
