Assist (association football)

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates In association football, an assist is a contribution leading to the scoring of a goal, where the contribution is made by someone on the scoring team other than the scorer. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions. Recording assists is not part of the official Laws of the Game and the criteria for an assist to be awarded may vary. Record of assists was virtually not kept at all until the end of the 20th century, although reports of matches commonly described a player as having "made" one or more goals. Since the 1990s, some leagues have kept official record of assists and based awards on them.

Script error: No such module "anchor".The separate player statistics "goals [scored]" and "assists" may be aggregated to a statistic called "[goal] contributions" or "[goal] involvements" (analogous to what is called a point in ice hockey).

Criteria

Most commonly, an assist is credited to a player for passing or crossing the ball to the scorer. It may also be awarded to a player whose shot rebounds (off a defender, goalkeeper or goalpost) to a teammate who scores. Some systems may credit an assist to a player who wins a penalty kick or a free kick for another player to convert,[1][2] or to an attacking player for contributing to an own goal.[3] A goal may be unassisted, or have one assist; some systems allow for two assists.[1][4]

Opta criteria

Opta, a British sports analytics company and the official provider of Premier League statistics,[5][6] defines an assist as "The final touch from a teammate, which leads to the recipient of the ball scoring a goal". Opta requires that if the assist is deflected by an opposition player, it must be deemed as travelling to the goalscorer irrespective of the deflection. Also according to Opta, "in the event of an own goal, direct free kick goal and direct corner goal, an assist will not be awarded. This same rule applies to penalties unless the penalty taker chooses to pass the ball for another player to score."[7]

According to Opta, an assist is not awarded in the following cases:

Opta attest that this strict definition makes assist statistics more accurate and fair in analyzing players' sports performance.

FIFA World Cup

FIFA's Technical Study Group is responsible for awarding assist points at the FIFA World Cup.[8] In the Technical Study Group's report on the 1986 World Cup, the authors calculated for the first time unofficial statistics for assists, developing the following criteria:[1]

  1. An assist was awarded to the player who had given the last pass to the goalscorer.
  2. In addition, the last but two holder of the ball could get an assist provided that his action had decisive importance for the goal.
  3. After goals from rebounds those players were awarded an assist who had shot on target.
  4. After goals scored on penalty or by a directly converted free-kick the fouled player received a point.
  5. In case that the goalscorer had laid on the goal for himself (dribble, solo run), no assists were awarded.
  6. No assists were awarded, either, if the goalscorer took advantage of a missed pass by an opponent.

The 1990 World Cup technical report adopted similar criteria, but changed the free-kick/penalty criterion:[2]

  • Where goals resulting from penalties are concerned, the player who is fouled in the area receives an assist point (unless, that is, the player who is fouled subsequently executes the penalty himself).Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Planet World Cup has calculated some retrospective data on assists back to the 1966 World Cup,[9] though the 1986 data differs from that of FIFA.[1][10]

FIFA started officially keeping track of assists in World Cup tournaments at the 1994 edition.[11] This was popularly ascribed to the popularity of detailed sports statistics among fans.[11] 1994 was also the first World Cup in which assists were used as a tie-breaker in determining the Golden Shoe award for top scorer.[11][12] In the event, both Hristo Stoichkov and Oleg Salenko tied with 19 points, from 6 goals and 1 assist.[12]

France

The French league, Ligue 1, awards the Trophée de Meilleur Passeur ("best passer trophy") to the player with most "decisive passes" in a season, starting in the 2007–08 season.[13] Sports newspaper L'Équipe had unofficially tracked assists for some years prior to then.[14] The league's Commission des Compétitions includes blocked shots as a subset of "decisive passes".[15][16] In 2012–13, Mathieu Valbuena and Dimitri Payet finished with 12 assists, Valbuena winning the trophy by having fewer blocked shots (3 against 5) among his total.[16]

Spain

For the 1998–99 La Liga season, SDI sold its Gecasport database to Spanish media, in which Script error: No such module "Lang". were described as "passes which lead immediately to a shot and goal".[17]

Ukraine

In Ukraine, a traceable documentation of assists calculation started out by Ukrainian newspaper "Komanda" during the 2004–05 season of the Ukrainian Higher League (Vyshcha Liha).[18] The calculation of assist has certain problems to establish what is the "last pass" which led to a scored goal.[18] Different institutions have own perception of it. Some specialists consider that an assist has to be a deliberate action meaning that it does not include the situation when a ball randomly rebounded to a scoring striker.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, official game statistics, including assists, for the Premier League, the Scottish Premiership, and the English Football League are provided by PA Sport under the Actim brand.[19] Since the 2006–07 season, assists have been factored into the Actim Index of Premier League player performance.[20] The assist statistics provided by fantasy football competitions may differ from the Actim data; some uniformly credit an assist to whichever teammate last touched the ball before the scorer, regardless of other circumstances of the play.[21] The Premier League Playmaker of the Season award was introduced in the 2017–18 Premier League for the player with most assists.[22]

United States

The original North American Soccer League kept assist statistics from its foundation in 1968, as its forebears the United Soccer Association and National Professional Soccer League had done the previous year.[23] Analogous statistics were already being kept in basketball and in ice hockey, both established North American sports.

Major League Soccer formerly awarded the MLS Golden Boot based on 2 points per goal scored and one per assist.[24]

The NCAA makes regulations for statistics, including assists, in college soccer in the U.S.[25] Two players may be credited with assists if the second did not have to beat a defender before passing to the scorer.[4] No assist is awarded for winning a penalty.[26] If a goal is scored after a save, block, or rebound from the goal frame, the first shooter gets an assist.[27]

Statistics

These totals are the official records recognised by the relevant governing body. Independent statistics providers may have different data, either through crediting different players for a given goal, or through having begun recording assists earlier or later than the official statistics provider. Expected assists (xA) is a performance metric that measures the likelihood that a completed pass becomes an assist, factoring in distance and the type of pass.[28]

Players with most assists in all competitions (all-time)

Notes: The criteria for an assist to be awarded may vary according to the source, the following stats is based on the assists criteria according to Opta, where assists are not counted for balls that are deflected or rebounded off opposing players and have clearly affected the trajectory of the ball and its arrival to the recipient (the goal scorer). Assists are also not counted for penalty kicks, direct goals from corners or free kicks, or own goals. These statistics are based on official matches only. At least 300 assists. Bold indicates players currently active. As of 6 December 2025.

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Template:Flagicon Lionel Messi FW 2004– Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, Argentina 407 1137 [29]
Template:Flagicon Ferenc Puskás FW 1943–1966 Budapest Honvéd, Real Madrid, Hungary, Spain, Madrid 374 719 [30]
Template:Flagicon Pelé FW 1956–1977 Santos, New York Cosmos, Brazil 366 818 [30]
Template:Flagicon Johan Cruyff FW 1964–1984 Ajax, Barcelona, Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante, Feyenoord, Netherlands 358 761 [30]
Template:Flagicon Alex MF 1995–2014 Coritiba, Palmeiras, Flamengo, Cruzeiro, Fenerbahce, Brasil 308 929 Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Template:Flagicon Dušan Tadić MF 2006– Vojvodina, Groningen , Twente, Southampton, Ajax, Fenerbahçe, Al-Wahda, Serbia 302 925 Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
File:Lionel Messi WC2022.jpg
Argentine Lionel Messi holds the record for the most assists in football history, with 407.

Players with most assists in international football (all-time)

Bold indicates players currently active at international level.
Players Team(s) Assists Refs
Lionel Messi Argentina 61 [31][32]
Neymar Brazil 59 [33][34]
Landon Donovan United States 58 [35]
Ferenc Puskás Hungary 53 [35]
Sándor Kocsis Hungary 51 [35]
Pelé Brazil 47 [35]
Thomas Müller Germany 41 [35]
Luis Suárez Uruguay 39 [36]
Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal 37 [35]
Kevin De Bruyne Belgium 36 [37]

Players with most assists in a given competition (all-time)

Competition Records
began 		Leading player(s) Team(s) Assists Refs
FIFA World Cup 1954 Pelé Brazil 10 [38][39]
UEFA European Championship 1960 Karel Poborský Czech 8 [40]
Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal
Copa América 1916 Lionel Messi Argentina 18 [41]
FIFA Club World Cup 2000 Neri Cardozo Boca Juniors, Monterrey 5 Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 1994 Neymar Brazil 19 [42]
UEFA Champions League 1992 Ryan GiggsTemplate:Efn Manchester United 41 [43]
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League 2001 Bořek Dočkal Slovan Liberec, Rosenborg, Slavia Prague 26 [44]
UEFA Super Cup 1973 Gareth Bale Real Madrid 3 [45]
Vitolo Sevilla, Atlético Madrid
Premier League 1992 Ryan Giggs Manchester United 162 [46]
La Liga 1929 Lionel Messi Barcelona 192 [47]
Serie A 1986 Francesco Totti Roma 140 [48]
Bundesliga 1992 Thomas Müller Bayern Munich 178 [49]
Major League Soccer 1996 Landon Donovan LA Galaxy 136 [50]
Ligue 1 2001 Dimitri Payet Nantes, Saint-Étienne, Lille, Marseille 115 [51]

Players with most assists in a given competition (single season)

Competition[52] Player(s) Team(s) Assists Season(s) Refs
FIFA World Cup Pele Brazil 6 1970 [39][38]
UEFA European Championship Ljubinko Drulović Yugoslavia 4 2000 [53]
Karel Poborský Czech 2004
Eden Hazard Belgium 2016
Aaron Ramsey Wales 2016
Copa América James Rodríguez Colombia 6 2024 [54]
UEFA Champions League James Milner Liverpool 9 2017–18 [55]
Major League Soccer Carlos Valderrama Tampa Bay Mutiny 26 2000 [56][57][58][59]
La Liga Míchel Real Madrid 21 1987–88 [60]
Lionel Messi Barcelona 2019–20 [61][62]
Bundesliga Thomas Müller Bayern Munich 21 2019–20 [63]
Premier League Thierry Henry Arsenal 20 2002–03 [64]
Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City 2019–20
Ligue 1 Ángel Di María Paris Saint-Germain 18 2015–16 [65]
Serie A Papu Gómez Atalanta 16 2019–20 [66]

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

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  1. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b NCAA Official Soccer Statistics Rules, §5.Art 1.(1)
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".; Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".; Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ NCAA Official Soccer Statistics Rules, §5.Art 1.(3)
  27. ↑ NCAA Official Soccer Statistics Rules, §5.Art 1.(8),(9)
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".; Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ MLS Site Template:Webarchive
  57. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  58. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  61. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  62. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  63. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  64. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  65. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  66. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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