Top 11 players with most assists registered in a single calendar year

These playmakers turn the game with one creative pass

Goals have been widely appreciated by many but the ones making them are often not recognized. The sheer art of brilliance, the knack of vision and the accuracy of all playmakers have made us witness some beautiful assists day in and day out. However, these renowned players have scrubbed the record books with unbelievable numbers. Let’s have a look at the top 10 players with the most assists in a single calendar year:

11. Neymar (2013, 29 Assists)

The Brazilian sensation had a remarkable season at Santos in Brazil before his big money move to Barcelona later that year. Barcelona signed him for a reported fee of €86.2 million (£71.5 million) just before the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The rest is history as the pairing of Suarez, Messi and Neymar (also known as MSN) went on to rewrite new stories in Blaugrana colours. Neymar scored 13 goals and made 10 assists for Santos in that season and went on to score 15 goals for Barcelona throughout the 2014-15 campaign. He registered 29 assists in that calendar year.

10. Mesut Ozil (2013, 29 Assists)

Another playmaker to have achieved the same feat like Neymar, Ozil was regarded as one of the best passers of the game back at that time. Pulling the strings for Real Madrid in the heart of the midfield, it is because of him that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain could feast in front of goal. Though he was not known for his goal scoring tally, he made a mammoth 29 assists in that season for the Los Blancos and the German National team.

9. Mesut Ozil (2012, 29 Assists)

Ozil also did the unthinkable the season prior to that as he registered the same number of assists in 2012. He finished the season with 29 assists, the highest for any player in any major European competition that season. Ozil's performances for Real Madrid during that season were praised by media, fans and players as he gained mass recognition.

8. Mesut Ozil (2011, 30 Assists)

If you are amazed by what he has done throughout that spell for Real Madrid, get used to it. Known for his technical skills, creativity, passing skills, and vision, he could be deployed anywhere in the midfield. Jose Mourinho made the most out of his game that season as first choice Kaka was not an option for the Portuguese coach anymore. Ozil certainly made the most out his game time and had even a better season as he registered 30 assists.

7. Thomas Muller (2021, 30 Assists)

Muller has been praised for his positioning, teamwork, stamina, and work-rate, and has shown consistency in both scoring and creating goals. He is regarded as one of the best off-the-ball players of all time due to his positional awareness. Muller holds the record for the most assists given in the Bundesliga, with 152. Although his best stats as a playmaker came in 2021 for the Bavarians (Bayern Munich) when he registered 30 assists in a single season. Bayern Munich went on to win the UEFA Super Cup, DFL SuperCup and the 10th consecutive Bundesliga title that season of which he was a key figure.

6. Neymar (2016, 30 Assists)

Remember that 7-0 demolition of Celtic by Barcelona in the group stage fixture of UEFA Champions League 2016-17 season? He happened to be the sole orchestrator in the game as he had 4 assists in that single match. Operating mostly as an attacking midfielder in 4-2-3-1 or as a left winger in a 4-3-3 formation back at that time, he had the likes of Messi and Suarez to capitalize on the goods he provided. He registered 30 assists that season across all competitions including international matches and for Barcelona.

5. Thierry Henry (2003, 31 Assists)

The only invincibles ever in the history of the Premier League. Arsenal went on a run of 49 straight undefeated games across 2003-04. Henry was not only the highest goal scorer for the Gunners in that span, he also had 31 assists in that calendar year across all formats. Henry was instrumental in Arsenal's exceptionally successful campaign; together with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljunberg, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira, He ensured that the Gunners became the first team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic season unbeaten, claiming the league title in the process.

4. Lionel Messi (2016, 31 Assists)

Undoubtedly the best player of all time, Neymar could not surpass his tally of 31 assists in that calendar year. Messi scored 59 goals and had 31 assists in his name as he averaged 90 minutes per goal. But what amazes us is that it only took him 59 minutes in average to make a goal contribution. He made 51 appearances for Barcelona that season in which he had 25 assists, the rest of the 6 assists came in La Albi Celeste colours.

3. Dusan Tadic (2019, 34 Assists)

Cementing his place as Eredevisie’s undisputed assist king, it has been a while since he has blown past his relatively cold days at Southampton. Considered to be the best player outside Europe’s top five leagues, Tadic had a remarkable campaign in 2018-19 UEFA Champions League where he ad 10 assists in his name. The Serbian playmaker-cum forward led Ajax to UEFA Champions League semi final that year defeating the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus. He had a total of 34 assists in that single calendar year making him the top most assister in Europe that season.

2. Lionel Messi (2011, 37 Assists)

If he could score 91 goals in a single calendar year, it is very assumable that making 36 assists in a single calendar year is a piece of cake for this little magician from Rosario. He made 70 appearances across that calendar year in which he made 28 assists for the Blaugranas out of 57 appearances. The rest of the 9 assists came for Argentina for whom he scored 4 goals too.

1. Dusan Tadic (2021, 38 Assists)

It is very rare that you will hear Messi’s record being broken in any aspect of a footballing field. Dusan Tadic capped off his previous best performance of 34 assists two seasons later. Helping the Dutch outfit Ajax to another domestic glory by clinching the Eredevisie. Tadic had the honor of being awarded Dutch Footballer of the Year that season. Having initially played out all wide, occasionally alternating with the number 10 position, Erik Ten Hag also deployed him as a false nine at times. It worked wonderfully and that has been the Amsterdammers’ blueprint in Europe and domestic league since then.