Most of the greatest midfielders of all time have all coveted the no. 10 role. The reason for this is obvious – no. 10s play the most aesthetically pleasing football when we talk about the game in the traditional sense.
Wide players and box-to-box midfielders do have other aspects of their game sorted out better than these withdrawn forwards, but it is only the no. 10 who has always been trusted to break through defences.
World football today is blessed with a plethora of talent at this position, and picking a top 5 is almost necessarily a matter of personal opinion. However, some players have displayed marvellous amounts of consistency in the recent past, and they are certainly more deserving to be on this list than players of less ability. Here are 5 of the best assists since the turn of the decade, all handed out by no. 10s:
#5 Mesut Ozil to Karim Benzema vs Ajax, UEFA Champions League 2011-12
Ozil’s finest moment in Real Madrid colours came in this game against Ajax. Xabi Alonso played a delightful long pass into the Ajax box, spotting Ozil’s run through the centre. Ozil took just one look behind to spot Benzema running in from the left and played a deft backheel into his path.
The Ajax defenders could only watch in shock as the Frenchman pounced on the ball with relish and placed his shot past Kenneth Vermeer in the Ajax goal. The breakthrough gave Real a 1-0 lead, which Alvara Arbeloa then doubled at the stroke of halftime.
A Cristiano Ronaldo brace in the second half secured a sound 4-0 beating of the Amsterdam side on their home turf, but it was Ozil’s vision and deft touch that changed the game for the visitors.
#4 Lionel Messi to Ivan Rakitic vs Manchester City, UEFA Champions League 2014-15
Messi’s 2014-15 season was probably the most impactful one of his career, as it led him to a Ballon D’Or victory in 2015. He earned it on the back of some vintage performances in the Champions League – none more so than his spellbinding 90-minute highlight reel against City in their second-leg faceoff. Messi already had a number of wow moments in his first leg, but this one practically raised the bar impractically high for footballers of the future.
After a perfect nutmeg on the onrushing James Milner which left Pep Guardiola open-mouthed as he watched on from the gallery, Messi proceeded to humiliate every City midfielder on their own home ground.
Late in the first half, he spotted Ivan Rakitic making an unmarked run in from the left and scooped a delightful, inch-perfect lob into his path. Rakitic rounded off the move with a wonderful finish of his own as Barcelona triumphed 1-0 on the night.
#3 David Silva to Edin Dzeko vs Manchester United, Premier League 2011-12
In one of Manchester United’s worst turnouts in the past 10 years, City ran riot at the Red Devils’ much-prided home ground. Pumping in 6 goals at the Old Trafford – a feat unmatched by any other side in recent memory, they laid down the gauntlet as real challengers for the Premier League crown at the end of this game.
The match finished with an extremely class play enacted by their conjurer-in-chief: David Silva. The nimble-footed Spaniard was in his element on that day, finishing with a goal and this wonderful assist to the Bosnian striker.
The technique he uses to set Dzeko is simply out of this world – volleying a football is the toughest art in the game. The assist he provides to Dzeko is hit with incredible precision, – straight into Dzeko’s path to set him up invitingly for a left-footed finish.
#2 Juan Mata to Chris Smalling vs Wolfsburg, UEFA Champions League 2014-15
Juan Mata has a reputation for having one of the coolest heads in world football – as well as one with incredible vision. Coupled with his impeccable technique and confidence to display all of his repertoires on form, the Spaniard has earned many admirers from all quarters and is regarded as one of the foremost playmakers today.
His best and arguably most vintage moment came in his time at Manchester United. The Red Devils played host to Wolfsburg in their first home Champions League game at the Old Trafford under Louis van Gaal, and they did not disappoint – coming back from a goal down to beat the German side.
Mata had a decisive say in this game – equalising from the penalty spot before setting Chris Smalling up with this otherworldly no-look flick which left the collective hearts of the United fans in the stadium in awe. The gifs from this goal are still doing the rounds on the Internet today.
#1 Andres Iniesta to Neymar vs Paris St. Germain, UEFA Champions League 2014-15
Topping our list is this absolute screamer of a goal from Barca’s victorious Champions League campaign, 2 seasons ago. Iniesta has often been called Barcelona’s best technician, and this goal displays all of his guile, skill and magic at his peak.
Having won their first leg in Paris comfortably with a 2-0 margin, Barcelona played some very assured, pressure-free football in this second leg. Don Iniesta was on point on this day as he produced a faultless display to keep the Blaugrana in firm control of the game.
He produced a mazy dribble through the Parisian club’s soft centre, leaving 3 defenders in his wake and drawing David Luiz out of position before playing in the model through ball to Neymar. The Brazilian forward used his own guile to leave PSG in tatters, having also bagged another on that night. But this goal will mostly be remembered for the buildup provided by Barca’s magic midfielder.
