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Over the last few years, we've witnessed a number of amazing players rise to prominence mainly because of their goalscoring instincts. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Zlatan Ibrahimovic became heroes for their clubs and countries courtesy of their exploits in front of goal.
However, despite their brilliance in the attacking third, these superstars rely to a significant extent on the supply from another group of players called the creators. These are the players who create goalscoring chances and lay them on a platter for the scorers to finish.
The third group of superstars is made up of players who excel both as scorers and creators. They are often believed to be the most important of the three groups as they can decide the fate of a game even without having their names on the scoresheet.
From explosive wingers to unstoppable midfielders and intelligent playmakers, we highlight 5 players in the football world at the moment who excel at creating chances and scoring goals.
#5 Jadon Sancho
Manchester United snapped up Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund this summer, following a number of spectacular displays for the German club over the last few seasons. Such was his level of performance that the Red Devils were convinced to splash out a whopping €85 million to lure him to Old Trafford.
Sancho's role as both a creator and a scorer is perfectly summed up in his statistics during his time with the German giants. The winger has an impressive record of 50 goals and 64 assists from 137 appearances during his four-year stint at Signal Iduna Park.
With his marauding runs, brilliant crossings and electrifying dribbles, the England international is expected to light up the Premier League this season. It is only a matter of time before the Red Devils start reaping the rewards of their investment.
#4 Mohamed Salah
The Premier League is aware of how brilliant Mohamed Salah is when it comes to scoring goals and also creating them. The Egyptian has been a thorn in the side of several English clubs since he made the switch from AS Roma to Liverpool in the summer of 2017.
So far, Salah has bagged a massive 126 goals and 49 assists for the Reds in 205 games across all competitions. He reminded us of his class once again by scoring once and setting up two goals in Liverpool's opening Premier League game of the season against Norwich.
#3 Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth €63 million halfway through the 2019-2020 season. It is frightening to learn that the Portuguese recorded the highest goal contribution for a midfielder in the Premier League in his first full campaign at Old Trafford. He registered 18 goals and 11 assists to his name.
The attacking midfielder has returned to the English top-flight with a big bang this term. He scored a sensational hat-trick for Manchester United as they defeated Leeds United 5-1 in their opening league match of the term.
Fernandes continues to be a huge threat to opposition teams in the Premier League, thanks to his superb passing, incredible vision and impeccable shooting skills. Currently, his set-piece ability is second to none in the English top flight.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne is another player who excels at scoring goals just as much as he does at creating them. If you want a midfielder who guarantees double figures of goals and assists every season, you surely won't find a better option in Europe right now.
The Belgian has been one of the top midfielders on the continent over the last couple of years, with his ability to combine creativity with goalscoring and succeeding at both.
So far in his club career, De Bruyne has recorded a massive 114 goals and 191 assists in 492 appearances across spells with the likes of Chelsea, Genk, Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg and Manchester City. He has also bagged 22 goals from 84 caps with the Belgian national team.
#1 Lionel Messi
When it comes to rating the top players who can score goals just as well as they create them, you just have to put Lionel Messi in an exclusive class. The Argentine is arguably the greatest playmaker the game has seen, with his incredible performances over the years.
Leo holds the record for the most assists in the history of the game, having set up an unbelievable 305 goals so far in his club career. He is also one of the greatest finishers the sport has witnessed, with a whopping 672 goals to his name in 778 appearances during his time at Barcelona.
Tearing opposition defenses apart with his intelligent runs, exciting dribbles and unstoppable movement, Lionel Messi has been a joy to watch for almost two decades. It will surely take many years before we see another player come close to the level of the mercurial Argentine.
