Top 10 active footballers with most assists in world football - January 2022
While the goalscorers get most of the plaudits in football, the efforts of the goal creators cannot be undervalued. The playmaker has the burden of unlocking the opposition defense and controlling the game.
Only the most technically gifted players have been able to provide the team with goal-scoring opportunities at a consistent rate. Although strikers have the most important job in football, they are nothing without the creators who can make the difference in a tight game.
All of the players on this list have been some of the most skilled footballers in recent years, and have entertained us with their sublime playmaking.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the 10 active players with the most assists:
#10 Neymar Jr. - 218
With a tremendous fan following across the globe, Neymar has been one of the world’s most gifted footballers. The Brazilian departed Barcelona in 2017 and joined PSG for a whopping €222 million.
Neymar’s silky feet have often proven to be too much for the opposition to handle, and he keeps entertaining the world with his flair and skill. Neymar has a total of 218 assists so far. He has three goals and three assists in 10 Ligue 1 appearances this season.
The Brazilian has always been tormented by injuries, preventing him from reaching his true potential. He has faced the same issue this season and hasn’t featured in a game for PSG since late November.
#9 Franck Ribéry - 248
One of the greatest footballers of this generation, Franck Ribery has often been underrated. Ribery formed a deadly partnership with Arjen Robben at Bayern and went on to dominate both domestic and European football. He won the UEFA Player of the Year award in 2013 and also finished third in the Ballon d’Or rankings, only behind Messi and Ronaldo.
Ribery left Bayern and joined Fiorentina in 2019 after a tearful goodbye in Germany. He currently has 248 assists to his name. Ribery was without a club at the start of the 2021-22 season but eventually joined Salernitana.
The Frenchman was key in Bayern’s dominant run over the past several years and amassed a huge trophy collection in his career. He has won nine Bundesliga titles, one Champions League, six German Cups, and four Super Cups with the Bavarians.
#8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 255
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the embodiment of the phrase “aging like fine wine”. The 40-year-old continues to give his all on the pitch and continues to break records at AC Milan. Ibrahimovic is one of the most decorated active footballers, having won more than 30 trophies in his incredible career.
Zlatan is also the only player to have won 11 league titles across four leagues, i.e the Eredivisie, Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1. Ibrahimovic currently has 255 assists to his name. The Swede has eight goals and two assists in the Serie A this season. There is no doubt he will continue to add to this tally.
Zlatan Ibrahimović joined Cristiano Ronaldo today as the only two players to score against 80 different teams in the top five leagues since 2000.
76 years between them 🍷🍷 https://t.co/uLINYloaLT
When Ibrahimovic scored against Venezia in early January, he added another record to his name. He equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record of scoring against 80 different clubs across Europe's major leagues.