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UEFA Champions League aspirants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are one of the most popular teams in the world right now. Thanks to Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar’s marketability, PSG have become a household name.
Winning the Champions League will only expand their reach, allowing them to sign the best and brightest players in the world.
Even without Champions League glory, PSG have managed to get some excellent creative players on their payroll in the 21st century. These players have not only made the game more beautiful with their silky-smooth touches, but have also popped up with important assists time and again.
Today, we will check out the five players with the most assists for the club in the 21st century.
Now, without further ado, let's check out PSG’s creators-in-chief since 2000.
#5 Marco Verratti - 58 assists
Marco Verratti is the only player on our list who sits more in his own half rather than roaming in the opposition's. The Italian central midfielder typically lets more attack-minded players chip in with goals and assists, but is not afraid to try his luck occasionally.
Since joining from Pescara in 2012, Verratti has been a constant member of PSG’s starting XI. Managers have come and gone, players bought and sold, but Verratti has remained unshaken, producing one brilliant performance after another.
Being a central midfielder, Verratti dictates the tempo of the game and also tries to cut passing lanes. He is also an expert at sniffing out opportunities, which is made evident by his assist tally.
58 assists in 354 games may not seem like much, but given Verratti’s role at PSG, we cannot help but be impressed.
#4 Javier Pastore - 61 assists
Led by the chairperson of beIN Sports Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Qatar Sports Investments attained control of PSG in 2011. Al-Khelaifi has pledged to make PSG a Champions League-winning club and has done everything in his power to recognize his lofty ambitions.
Javier Pastore was part of the first set of players to join the QSI-owned PSG in 2011. The attacking midfielder was signed from Palermo for €42m and quickly became an important player at the club.
Pastore was not necessarily the quickest player, but his vision and dribbling ability were unmatched.
Banking on the two skills, Pastore helped PSG to their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years, back in the 2012-13 season. Until Angel Di Maria’s arrival in 2015, Pastore was one of the first names on the team sheet at PSG. But he eventually lost his cutting edge and was sold to AS Roma in 2018-19.
The Argentine spent seven years in the French capital, pitching in with 45 goals and 61 assists in 269 games for PSG.
#3 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 61 assists
When PSG signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic from AC Milan in 2012, the club were in desperate need of exposure.
The Sweden international was an established goalscorer and took his game a couple of notches higher during his time with PSG. His fans enriched the club and helped them come out of obscurity.
The centre-forward loved being in the spotlight and on the scoresheet for PSG. In his four years at Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimovic scored 156 goals in 180 appearances, averaging 0.87 goals per match.
Surprisingly, the 'selfish' goalscorer also popped up with important assists every now and then.
His tally of 61 assists in 180 games is rather impressive, especially considering how much he loves keeping the limelight focused on himself.
#2 Kylian Mbappe - 73 assists
Valued at €160m, Kylian Mbappe is the most valuable forward in the world right now. The former Monaco man is a lethal goalscorer, can create opportunities for his teammates, and, overall, is an athlete of the highest order.
Having helped Monaco to the Ligue 1 title back in 2016-17, Mbappe immediately appeared on PSG’s radar. The Parisians initially finalized a loan deal with Monaco ahead of the 2017-18 season, only to buy him permanently a year later for €145m.
Since joining PSG, Mbappe has scored 141 goals and provided 73 assists in 189 appearances for the club across all competitions. This season alone Mbappe has provided 12 assists in 18 matches.
#1 Angel Di Maria - 113 assists
Over the last 21 years, PSG have signed some excellent creative players, but none of them have been as influential as Angel Di Maria. The former Real Madrid midfielder is PSG’s all-time highest assist-provider with 113 (273 games) and is certain to add a few more before he departs.
The Argentina international became a PSG player in the summer of 2015, signing from Manchester United for €63m. Di Maria’s skills on the right-wing weren’t getting the recognition they deserved at Old Trafford, which prompted the Argentine to get in touch with PSG.
As expected, Manchester United fans did not like this maneuver and despise the player to this day.
PSG fans, however, are overjoyed with the Copa America winner. Di Maria is one of the most selfless and skillful players at the club right now, regularly popping up with important goals and assists.
The 33-year-old’s most notable performance for PSG came in the semi-finals of the 2019-20 Champions League campaign. Against RB Leipzig, he scored and assisted twice to lead his side to a 3-0 win.
