Ranking the 5 central midfielders with most assists in the 21st century
Making assists is part of the job description for midfielders. Just as players in other positions have their own roles in the team, the midfielders are supposed to control the tempo of games. Part of this involves finding the perfect pass to set up the right teammates to score goals for their team.
In order to make assists on a regular basis, players must be decisive in their passing and release the ball with the right weight of pass.
In the 21st century, a number of midfielders managed to master the art of making assists for their teams. Without further ado, here is a list of the five highest assisting central midfielders who played in the 21st century.
#5 Frank Lampard (188 assists)
Chelsea great Frank Lampard is widely remembered for being the best goalscoring midfielder of the 21st century. A lot of people, however, forget that the former England international was equally adept at creating goals for others.
Lampard made a total of 188 assists in his professional career for club and country. He has made 176 assists for his various clubs and 12 for the English national team.
Lampard made the bulk of his assists in a Chelsea shirt, with exactly 150 assists coming as a Blues player. The former midfielder also featured for West Ham United, Manchester City and New York City FC in his career.
#CFCOn This Day in 2017, Frank Lampard announced his retirement from professional football. What a career 🙌 #CFC
In the past, people have praised Lampard as the most complete midfielder of his generation, and they have the statistics to back up that claim. Lampard was an elite midfielder, and he remains one of the best ever.
#4 Steven Gerrard (188 assists)
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has enjoyed a productive career as a professional footballer for the Merseyside outfit. Gerrard was one of the best midfielders in the world in the same era as Frank Lampard, who was his direct competitor.
Gerrard made a total of 188 assists in his career, the exact total made by England teammate Lampard in his own career. He made 165 assists for Liverpool and Los Angeles Galaxy, the two clubs he represented in his career. The retired midfielder also made 23 assists during his time as an England international. Gerrard made more than half of his total assists as a Liverpool player.
710 games
Steven Gerrard's Liverpool career was legendary:
▪️ 710 games
▪️ 186 goals
▪️ 9 trophies
Here's 8 era-defining stats to celebrate his return to Anfield. 🔴 https://t.co/OxVLtfaI3O
After adding Steven Gerrard's playmaking ability to his goalscoring skills, it is evident that the retired Englishman was one of the best in his position.