Argentina skipper Lionel Messi has the most assists in football history, with 390 assists to his name.
Previously, the Paris Saint-Germain star had turned heads by creating a hat-trick of assists for the Ligue 1 club in April 2022. He ended the Ligue 1 2021-22 season with 13 assists in 25 games.
Apart from PSG, Messi has also played for FC Barcelona and is a La Liga legend. While the left-footed forward is behind his archrival Cristiano Ronaldo in most career goals scored, most international goals scored and most UEFA Champions League goals scored, Messi is well ahead in terms of assists when compared to the Premier League superstar who sits fifth on the list with 268 assists to his name.
Most assists in football
| Rank | Players | Teams | Assists |
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, PSG, Argentina | 390 |
| 2 | Thomas Muller | Bayern Munich | 296 |
| 3 | Luis Suarez | Barcelona, Liverpool, Ajax, Atletico de Madrid, FC Groningen, Uruguay, Gremio (Brazil) | 285 |
| 4 | Angel Di Maria | PSG, Real Madrid, Benfica, Manchester United | 277 |
| 5 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Sporting CP, Portugal | 268 |
Lionel Messi | 390 assists
Widely considered the best ever player to grace the sport of football, Lionel Messi started his career as a right-winger for FC Barcelona before he made that position his own for more than a decade. The left-footed winger has a whopping 160 assists from the right side of the pitch. He was later positioned as the false nine or the centre forward by Pep Guardiola, and the player excelled there as well, with 128 assists. Lionel Messi has 28 assists by playing as the second striker, attacking midfielder and left-winger, thus making him the player with the most assists in football history with 368.
Luis Suarez | 285 assists
The former teammate of Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona, Luis Suarez is one of the most decorated South-American footballers who made a name for himself in the football world with his silky footwork and unparalleled finishing from the D-box. He teamed up with Messi and Neymar to conquer everything in club football for the Catalan club. Primarily a centre-forward, Suarez has strung the most assists in that position with the number standing at 191. He has 86 more assists from the left-wing, right-wing and second striker.
Cristiano Ronaldo | 268 assists
A poacher by nature, who excels at finding the net from long as well as the short-range, Cristiano Ronaldo would always find it hard to top this list. However, the towering forward still sits fourth on the list of footballers with the most assists in football. Whether it be his unreal jumping ability or cheeky footwork inside the congested D-box, Ronaldo has tuned out to be a great source of goal for his teammates.
Thomas Muller | 296 assists
The only player among the top assist makers who is a natural second striker is Bundesliga star Thomas Muller. At his position, he is undoubtedly one of the best in the business when it comes to creating chances. A Bayern Munich loyal, Muller is known for his all-around ability on the pitch. Whether it be outmuscling his opponent, out jumping them from set-pieces or finding the free man inside the box, Muller’s selflessness precedes him in the football folklore.
Angel Di Maria | 277 assists
Yet another star from South America, who excels at providing for his teammates, Angel di Maria is known for his trickery in dribbling past opponents at the edge of the box and weighing up the most impeccable of passes into the attacking third. Having the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Messi upfront to give fruition to his passes has also helped his record. He sits fifth on the list with 267 assists.
Most assists in football: All major competitions
| Competition | Players with most assists | Team(s) | Assists |
| FIFA World Cup | Pelé | Brazil | 10 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | Neri Cardozo | Boca Juniors, Monterrey | 5 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) | Neymar | Brazil | 11 |
| UEFA European Championship | Karel Poborský | Czech Republic | 8 |
| Copa América | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 17 |
| UEFA Champions League | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus | 42 |
| Premier League | Ryan Giggs | Manchester United | 162 |
| UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League | Bořek Dočkal | Slovan Liberec, Rosenborg, Slavia Prague | 26 |
| La Liga | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 192 |
| Serie A | Francesco Totti | Roma | 152 |
| Bundesliga | Thomas Müller | Bayern Munich | 134 |
| Ligue 1 | Dimitri Payet | Nantes, Saint-Étienne, Lille, Marseille | 92 |
| Major League Soccer | Landon Donovan | San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy | 136 |
| UEFA Super Cup | Gareth Bale | Real Madrid | 3 |
Brazilian legend Pele holds the record for the most assists in the FIFA World Cup. The striker had played in as many as four World Cups, winning three of them and registering 10 assists in them all.
There is no surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo has the most assists in UEFA Champions League. The five-time UEFA Champions League winner has made the elite European tournament his own over the years. He has a whopping 42 assists in UCL.
Manchester United star Ryan Giggs boasts of registering the most assists in the Premier League (162), while AS Roma legend Francesco Totti is the highest assist provider (152) in the Serie A.
Most Assists in football in a single season
| Competition | Player(s) | Team(s) | Assists | Season |
| Bundesliga | Thomas Müller | Bayern Munich | 21 | 2019–20 |
| La Liga | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 21 | 2019–20 |
| Premier League | Thierry Henry | Arsenal | 20 | 2002–03 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | 2019–20 | ||
| Ligue 1 | Ángel Di María | Paris Saint-Germain | 18 | 2015–16 |
| Serie A | Ronaldinho | AC Milan | 18 | 2009–10 |
| UEFA Champions League | James Milner | Liverpool | 9 | 2017–18 |
This list contains some of the greatest players of football. Arsenal’s Thierry Henry and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne hold the record for most assists in the Premier League, a record that still stands today despite the league seeing world-class midfielders like Mesut Ozil, Cesc Fabregas and more playing in the latter years.
AC Milan’s Ronaldinho had managed to make 18 assists in the 2009-10 season after he had left Barcelona and many people believed he was done with football.
Liverpool’s James Milner is a surprising name on this list, given that he managed to make the most assists in UCL at a time Cristiano Ronaldo was at the peak of his powers.
FAQs
Who has most assists in international football history?
Brazil’s Neymar Jr has the most assists in international football. He has provided 51 assists so far in 117 appearances.
Who has the most assists in football history in one season?
Bundesliga star Thomas Mueller and former La Liga star Lionel Messi have the joint-most assists (21) in football history in one season.
Which player has the most assists in the football history of the Premier League?
Former Manchester United star Ryan Giggs has the most assists in the Premier League. He has 162 assists to his name.
Who has the most hat-trick of assists in football history?
Lionel Messi has the most hat-trick of assists in football history. His last hat-trick of assists for PSG in April 2022 was the sixth time he pulled off that feat. He is also the only player to have two hat-trick of assists for two different clubs – Barcelona and PSG.
