Top 10 players with most assists in international football history

Interestingly, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo top this list

Club games are more common and a regular occurrence in football. On the other hand, there’s International football – a different ball game altogether. At the club level, players are bought in regarding the tactics or playing style of the club or more importantly geared towards the manager at the helm at that time. A good amount of time goes into training and conditioning the players throughout the year.

However, international football games and even tournaments are a brief part of that year. In a very short amount of time, players need to collaborate in and out of the pitch to produce a desirable football output. This makes things like scoring a goal and providing assists of even more paramount importance. If a country is gifted with a player who’s capable of providing assist after assist, it makes a lot of difference amidst the brief sighting of international football.

In this top 10 list, we will go through the all-time assist leaders in international football history (Data via Opta):

10. David Beckham – 36 assists

The England icon and one of the co-owners of Major League Soccer(MLS) outfit Inter Miami is a very well-known Manchester United academy graduate to have played football. The 48-year-old may have retired from football but his brilliance on the pitch enrolls him permanently in football history. During his playing days, Beckham was known for bending the ball in and around the penalty area precisely. England’s international football team benefitted from it as the icon has 36 assists to his name.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo – 37 assists

Talking about numbers in football the Portuguese legend finds a place in most of the cases. Cristiano Ronaldo is well known around the football world for his goal-scoring prowess more than his ability to find a man to finish his pass. The Portugal team’s captain is no short on goals in the international stage having scored 135 goals in 216 appearances. More so his 37 assists find him a spot in this list.

8. Mesut Ozil – 40 assists

An absolute world-class playmaker to have played the game. The German attacking midfielder has played at clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal. Internationally Mesut Ozil has made 92 appearances and was also heavily involved in the 2014 FIFA World Cup winning run for Germany. His 40 assists in the international format get him the eighth spot.

Also Read: Top 10 highest goalscorers in the history of football

7. Kevin De Bruyne – 45 assists

The Manchester City superstar helped Pep Guardiola and the team to win a treble during the 2022-23 season. In the 2022-23 season, Kevin De Bruyne racked up 31 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions. At the International level, he was however unable to help Belgium get past the Group stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. But still remains their all-time best assist provider at 45 assists.

6. Pele – 47 assists

One of the most decorated football professionals around the globe is the Brazilian wizard Pele. The centre-forward is the epitome of success in international football, having lifted three editions of the World Cup. The three editions in which Pele helped Brazil lift the trophy were in the years 1958, 1962 and 1970. It is estimated that in international football, the legend has made 47 assists.

5. Sándor Péter Kocsis – 50 assists

At the fifth position with 50 assists stands the former Hungarian forward from Budapest. Sándor Péter Kocsis although had dual citizenship to Spain and Hungary, the talisman appeared 68 times for the latter. From 1958 to 1965, Kocsis played for the Spanish side FC Barcelona scoring 82 goals.

4. Ferenc Puskás – 53 assists

Another Hungarian who has made a name for his country in the globe is Ferenc Puskás. Every calendar year, the Puskás Award is handed out to the player of any gender who has scored the most aesthetically beautiful goal. This award came into existence to honour the Real Madrid and Hungary national team icon Ferenc Puskás. His 53 assists in the international game still stand among the top three in the 21st century of football.

Also Read: Top 13 highest international scorers of all time

3. Lionel Messi – 57 assists

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has moved away from Europe this summer as he joined Inter Miami in the United States. But he already left his mark globally. On Argentina’s road to last year’s World Cup win, Lionel Messi was the key to almost everything they produced. By now, Messi has recorded 57 assists in his name in international format.

2. Neymar Jr. – 58 assists

The Saudi Pro League may not have witnessed his flair just yet, but on the international stage, we have seen Neymar break records. Firstly he overtook Pele to become the all-time top scorer for Brazil and in the last game against Peru, his assist helped him inch closer to the assist leader internationally in September 2023. The 31-year-old is still important to his country and probably will overtake the leader in a few games time.

1. Landon Donovan – 58 assists

Probably a surprise leader in the list, given the likes of Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi were taking part. On the international stage, Landon Donovan stands tall with his 58 assists. This marks him as the king of making assists in the international game. Donovan is a star in the United States, as he has represented his country 157 times all while netting 57 goals. Notably, he has played for Everton, Bayer Leverkusen and even Bayern Munich.

Last updated till 16 November 2024

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