Lionel Messi during his Barcelona prime predictably features prominently in the 10 players that have notched the most assists in a single season since 2000, but who else makes the top 10?
Playmaking has become a more polished role and fans place great importance on ‘assist figures’ as a way to decide who are the most creative individuals. Some are naturally in this role and consistently register far more assists than goals, creating from set-pieces or open-play as chief creators in their sides.
The truly great playmakers operate between the midfield and attack, picking up spaces between the lines where they can use their vision, quick feet and passing ability to find their attackers in goal-scoring positions.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to look at the top 10 campaigns in terms of assists in Europe’s top five leagues in the 21st century, counting assists from competitions in their country as well as European tournaments as well.
10. Mesut Özil – 2009-10 Season (25)
Mesut Özil appears multiple times on the list and stands out as one of the most naturally gifted playmakers to have ever graced football during the 2000s. Endowed with creativity, elegant skill, and exceptional foresight, he excelled as an attacking midfielder. This season, he recorded 29 assists across all competitions, including four in the Europa League qualification rounds.
Keeping the number 25, this impressive performance occurred during a season when he excelled at Werder Bremen. His contributions were key as his team secured third place in the Bundesliga and advanced to both the Round of 16 in the Europa League and the final of the German Cup. Following this remarkable stint, he promptly transferred to Real Madrid.
9. Thomas Müller – 2019-20 (26)
At Bayern Munich, Thomas Müller might as well be regarded as an integral piece of their legacy by now. He is intricately linked with the team’s modern-day story and is approaching his 750th appearance for the club.
Throughout that period, he has emerged as a crucial offensive force, scoring almost as many goals as providing assists, and ranks among the topassist providers in the annals of football.
During the 2019/20 season, the club had goals from all areas of the pitch and a striker in Robert Lewandowski who was simply taking every chance that came his way.
They won the treble in Hansi Flick’s first season and they were unstoppable in the league and Champions League, hitting Barcelona for eight goals in their semi-final. Muller, at the heart of it all, was brilliant.
READ MORE: The seven active players with the highest number of assists in soccer history include Messi, Ronaldo, and others.
8. Lionel Messi – Season 2019-20 (27)
Appearing on this list thrice, Lionel Messi was destined to feature prominently. As a complete star, he can both score goals and set up teammates effortlessly. However, in his most authentic role, he acts as a playmaker. His ability to create opportunities for fellow attackers comes naturally to him, making him an absolute delight to partner with on the field.
During the 2019/20 campaign, he coached Barcelona to only 27 victories across all tournaments, which marked an unusual drought for them under his leadership. However, this lack of silverware cannot be attributed to him since he achieved an impressive tally of 31 goals and 27 assists in merely 44 matches.
7. Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 2015-16 Season (28)
One of the most overlooked campaigns over the last twenty years, Henrikh Mkhitarayan astonished the European football scene as he racked up an impressive tally of 23 goals and 32 assists across 52 matches for Borussia Dortmund under coach Thomas Tuchel.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, and Marco Reus formed a formidable attacking trio that created chaos for opponents as they secured second place in the league, reached the finals in the cup, and yet surprisingly allowed Liverpool to stage an incredible turnaround after leading at Anfield.
In what was Mkhitaryan’s best season, he managed 28 assists across the Bundesliga, Europa League and German Cup and later earned a move to Manchester United and Arsenal, which failed to reach the heights expected. However, no one can dispute the quality he showed during his time in Germany.
6. Mesut Ozil – 2010-11 (28)
In his first season at Madrid, he joined an elite group of players led by Cristiano Ronaldo and, suddenly, he was laying on passes for the likes of Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain as well as Ronaldo, and he repaed the rewards.
At a time when Barcelona reigned supreme, his contributions helped them win the Spanish Cup but they fell short in both the league and Champions League to their great rivals Barca. Ozil, however, was brilliant all season, and his football intelligence shone through as he quickly adapted.
READ: A tribute to Mesut Ozil at Real Madrid: a ‘unique’ assist king
5. Kevin De Bruyne – 2014-15 (28)
When Kevin De Bruyne departed from Chelsea, he was determined to show both the London team and Jose Mourinho they were mistaken. With players like Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Andre Schurrle, and a budding talent such as Mohamed Salah competing for spots, he realized moving elsewhere would be essential for his growth. At Wolfsburg, however, not only did he flourish but also significantly advanced his career beyond expectations.
In his initial campaign, he managed to score 16 goals and provide 28 assists across 51 matches, helping them secure second place in the league, claim the German Cup, and exit the Europa League at the quarter-final stage under coach Ralph Hasenhüttl. The next summer, he transferred to Manchester City where he rapidly established himself among the top players in the Premier League. As they say, the rest is history.
4. Juan Mata – 2012-13 Season (30)
Back then, Juan Mata was regarded as one of the top attacking midfielders in the Premier League, with his performance during the 2012/13 season being particularly outstanding for him personally. During this period, he scored 20 goals and provided 30 assists in 64 matches as Chelsea participated in various tournaments.
Ultimately, they secured third place under Rafael Benitez, progressed to the semifinals in both domestic cup competitions, and finished as runners-up in both the Super Cup and Club World Cup; however, they did manage to claim victory in the Europa League during their inaugural participation in this tournament.
Mata's late corner kick was powerfully nodded home by Branislav Ivanovic to secure the victory, and throughout the entire season, he displayed utter dominance.
3. Xavi – 2008-09 (31)
Referred to as the masterful midfielder, Xavi served as the pulse of both the dominant Spanish national team and FC Barcelona. However, fewer people recognize the consistency with which he set up his fellow players. That marked the notable year when Pep Guardiola assumed control and propelled the squad towards a remarkable treble triumph.
Xavi was outstanding in midfield and crucial to his team’s innovative strategy, which would eventually revolutionize club soccer. He provided an assist during the Champions League final against Manchester United, helping to secure victory.
A stunning cross sliced through the United defense as Messi unleashed a rare header to seal their triumph, and his precise assist on that play perfectly showcased his brilliance.
2. Lionel Messi – 2014-15 (31)
This was an iconic year for the Barcelona side as they went on to secure a famous treble, spearheaded by the incredible attacking trio of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. That attack devastated almost every side as they picked up all the accolades, and Messi was at the centre of it all with 58 goals and 31 assists in 57 games.
His creativity helped Neymar achieve 39 goals, and Suarez, in his debut season in Spain, managed 25 goals, including their second in the Champions League final, which came from, you guessed it, a Messi shot which was parried by Gianluigi Buffon. One of the great man’s best-ever seasons.
1. Lionel Messi – 2011-12 Season (32)
With each passing year, Messi’s 2011-12 campaign remains an unparalleled marvel in football history. Scoring 73 goals along with providing 32 assists across only 60 matches is nothing short of extraordinary, and he went on to shatter the record for the highest number of goals scored within a single calendar year in 2012, amassing an astounding total of 91 goals.
During Guardiola’s final season leading the team, Barcelona secured victories in the UEFA Super Cup, the Spanish Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup, along with winning the Copa del Rey. However, despite Messi being at the pinnacle of his extraordinary abilities, they fell short in both La Liga and the Champions League.
Despite facing numerous challenges, Messi dominated both the assists leaderboard and scored an impressive number of goals in club soccer that year, significantly outperforming his competitors, thus rendering this campaign nothing short of extraordinary and astounding.
READ NEXT: It’s hard to fathom how Lionel Messi managed to guide this surprising Barcelona squad to a La Liga championship.
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