The 10 players with the most assists in a single season since 2000: Messi, Ozil, Mata…
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 Ozil – 2009-10 (25)
Mesut Ozil is also a multiple feature on the list and is certainly one of the most natural playmakers to grace the game in the 2000s. Blessed with flair, a silky style and incredible vision, he was the ultimate attacking midfielder, and he managed 29 assists in all competitions this season, but four came in the Europa League qualifying phase.
Sticking with 25, this was during a season in which he shone at Werder Bremen and he helped his side reach third in the Bundesliga and reach the Round of 16 in the Europa League and the final of the German Cup. He then moved to Real Madrid immediately after his stunning campaign.
9. Thomas Muller – 2019-20 (26)
At Bayern Munich, Thomas Muller may as well be considered part of the furniture at this point. He is a player that is incredibly synonymous with the club’s recent history and he is now nearing 750 games for the club.
During that time, he has been a key attacking influence, netting nearly as many goals as assists and he stands as one of the highest assisters in football history.
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 7 active players with the most assists in football history: Messi, Ronaldo…
8. Lionel Messi – 2019-20 (27)
Featuring on this list three times, Lionel Messi was bound to be involved. He is an all-round superstar, capable of scoring and assisting at any moment, but in his natural state, he is a playmaker. Capable of creating space for others with such ease, he must have been a joy to play with for any attacker.
In the 2019/20 season, he managed 27 in all competitions as they went trophyless in what was a rare occurrence during his time at Barca. It wasn’t his fault, ultimately, as he managed 31 goals and 27 assists in just 44 games.
7. Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 2015-16 (28)
Perhaps the most underrated campaign in the past two decades, Henrikh Mkhitarayan stunned European football when he produced 23 goals and 32 assists in 52 games for Borussia Dortmund under Thomas Tuchel.
Their front three of Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus caused havoc as they finished second in the league, runners-up in the cup and somehow failed to beat Liverpool despite holding a strong lead at Anfield before their historic comeback.
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)
After leaving Chelsea, Kevin De Bruyne had the bit between his teeth as he looked to prove the London club and Jose Mourinho wrong. At a time when there was Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Andre Schurrle and a young Mohamed Salah, he was forced to seek a move elsewhere to develop and at Wolfsburg, he did more than develop.
His first season saw him notch 16 goals and 28 assists in 51 games as they came runners-up in the league, won the German Cup and lost in the quarter-finals of the Europa League under Ralph Hasenhuttl. He then joined Manchester City the following summer and quickly became one of the best in the Premier League. The rest, as they say, is history.
4. Juan Mata – 2012-13 (30)
At the time, Juan Mata was considered one of the very best attacking midfielders in the Premier League, and his 2012/13 campaign was by far his most successful personal season. He managed 20 goals and 30 assists in 64 games as Chelsea competed across multiple competitions.
They eventually came third under Rafael Benitez, reached the semi-finals of both domestic cups, and came runners-up in both the Super Cup and Club World Cup but they did win the Europa League in their first appearance in the competition.
Mata’s late corner was headed in by Branislav Ivanovic to capture the trophy, and he was utterly devastating all season long.
3. Xavi – 2008-09 (31)
Known as the great midfield metronome, Xavi was the heartbeat of an all-conquering Spain and Barcelona side, but not many realise how consistently he provided assists for his teammates. This was the famous year in which Pep Guardiola took over the reigns and elevated them to a stunning treble-winning campaign.
Xavi was sensational in midfield and key to his new system, which would go on to dominate club football. He managed an assist in the Champions League final against Manchester United to help kill the game.
A beautiful cross cut out the United defence as Messi fired in a rare header to confirm their victory, and his incisive assist on that occasion was a perfect example of his quality.
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 (32)
As the years go by, Messi’s 2011-12 season continues to grow in its infinite legacy. Charting 73 goals and 32 assists in just 60 games is simply other-worldly, and he would later break the record for the most goals in a calendar year in 2012 with 91.
That season – Guardiola’s last in charge – Barcelona won the UEFA Super Cup, the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup as well as the Copa del Rey, but even with Messi at the peak of his otherworldly powers they missed out on La Liga and the Champions League.
Messi still managed to top the assist charts by some distance as well as netting the most goals in club football that season, by far, making this the most outrageous and incredible of campaigns.
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