5 players with most assists in 2021
Playmakers are just as important as goalscorers are to a football team. There is no point in having world-class strikers in your team if you don't have the right personnel around him to provide him service.
Sometimes all a striker has to do is tap the ball into the back of the net. The bulk of the work would have been executed by the player who created the chance and played the final ball through to the finisher.
Quick thinking, fleet-footedness and the ability to pick a pass are all vital to playmakers. They are the ones who find solutions in the most difficult of circumstances. It's their technical proficiency and tactical intelligence that enables them to create chances for their teammates.
Just as scoring goals are important to strikers, assists are a good metric to measure the effectiveness of playmakers or creators. Without further ado, let's take a look at five players with the most assists in Europe's top leagues in 2021.
#5 Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen) - 10 assists
Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby has done some excellent work down the left wing in 2021. The 22-year-old has got off to a flying start to the 2021-22 Bundesliga season, scoring two goals and providing an assist in three appearances so far.
The left-footed winger packs electric pace and is also wonderful with the ball at his feet. He loves taking players on and beating them. Diaby has a great burst of pace and is gradually becoming a nightmare to defend against.
His movement and awareness in the final third make him a dangerous campaigner and Diaby has provided 10 assists in 22 Bundesliga appearances in 2021.
#4 Paul Pogba (Manchester United) - 10 assists
Paul Pogba has been on a different level altogether in 2021. He was a standout performer for France at Euro 2020, receiving a lot of praise for his playmaking abilities. He has also been doing great at Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Manchester United manager has used Pogba in a more advanced role and he often starts on the left wing and is given the freedom to roam about. As a result, Pogba is making great use of his incredible control over the ball and astounding passing range.
He picked up as many as four assists in Manchester United's Premier League season opener. The Frenchman has 10 assists in 17 Premier League appearances in 2021.