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#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.
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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
