'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Goalscorers are by far the most celebrated beings in football, and deservedly so. Finding the back of the net is one of the toughest jobs there are, and these players make it seem like a breeze.
While worshiping the goalscorers is indeed the rightful task, it should not come at the expense of the players who create the goals. More often than not, it is the pass masters who serve the goals on a silver platter for the goal-getters.
Today, we will take a quick look at the players who have established themselves as the perfect wingmen to their teams’ designated goalscorers since 2020.
Here are the top five players who have recorded the highest number of assists in the top five European leagues over the last two-and-a-half years:
Data via: Transfermarkt
#5 Hakan Calhanoglu (AC Milan/Inter Milan) - 31 assists
AC Milan and Inter Milan are two of the most fiercely competitive teams in Serie A. They share the same stadium, of course, but their fans and ideologies could not be any more different.
Considering the rivalry between the two San Siro outfits, transfers are not seen kindly here, especially a direct one. Hakan Calhanoglu, who joined Inter directly from AC Milan in July 2021, has inevitably faced the brunt of it.
Despite getting a lot of flak following his switch from Milan to Inter, Calhanoglu did not let it dampen his quality. In the 2021-22 season, Calhanoglu recorded 13 assists in 34 Serie A appearances.
Combined with seven goals, it marked his career-best season in front of goal. Overall, he has recorded 31 assists in 86 Serie A games since 2020, making him the league’s second-best creator in that stretch.
#4 Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo) - 32 assists
Having failed to establish himself as a first-teamer at Juventus, Domenico Berardi joined Sassuolo in the summer of 2015.
Of course, Sassuolo cannot keep up with the most decorated teams in the business, but the move was certainly a step in the right direction for the Italian.
At Sassuolo, he has had the freedom to express himself, emerging as one of the division’s best right-wingers.
Over the last two-and-a-half years, Berardi has featured in 81 Serie A games for Sassuolo, providing 32 assists.
The 2021-22 campaign marked the best-ever season of Berardi’s career. In only 33 Serie A matches, he recorded 15 goals and provided 17 assists, emerging as the team’s standout performer.
#3 Filip Kostic (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 32 assists
Eintracht Frankfurt have a gem on their hands in Filip Kostic. Joining from Hamburger SV in June 2019, Kostic has gradually emerged as one of Bundesliga’s most proficient wide men.
Kostic, 29, can play on both the right and left wing, but he is at his best on the left. He is an excellent dribbler, has plenty of pace to burn, and is perfect at releasing the ball right in the final third.
Since 2020, the Serbian star has featured in 78 Bundesliga games for Frankfurt, recording a sizable 32 assists. His crosses have come in handy more often than not, helping his side break the opposition using the most direct method possible.
Kostic played the best football of his career in the 2020-21 campaign, bagging a whopping 17 assists in only 30 league games. He also scored four goals, helping the team seal a fifth-place finish in the Bundesliga.
#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain) - 42 assists
From scoring mesmerizing solo goals to piercing even the tightest of defenses with inch-perfect through balls, Lionel Messi has done it all.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is widely hailed as the game's greatest player, and given how he has played and what he has achieved in his career, it’s certainly deserving.
Messi has always been an excellent creator, but over the last few years, we have seen him fully embrace the role.
Since 2020, Messi has provided 42 assists in 81 appearances across two leagues (La Liga and Ligue 1), proving how good of a creator he is.
Out of the 42 assists, 15 came for Paris Saint-Germain in 26 Ligue 1 appearances. His contributions helped Paris to their 10th Ligue 1 title in the 2021-22 season. The remaining 27 arrived in 55 La Liga games for Barcelona.
The 35-year-old finished the 2021-22 Ligue 1 campaign as PSG's second-leading assist provider, behind teammate Kylian Mbappe (19).
Considering Messi will get a proper pre-season this term, we won't be surprised if he dethrones Mbappe at the top next season.
#1 Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) - 52 assists
One of the most underrated players in the history of the sport, Thomas Muller is the classic definition of function over form.
The Bayern Munich star is not the most esthetic player one would see, often looking off balance, clumsy even. However, when it comes to producing the goods, there is hardly anyone who can hold a candle to him.
The German star is one of the game’s most prolific creators, sitting comfortably in a class above his peers. Having bagged 52 assists in 80 Bundesliga matches, Muller has emerged as the highest assist provider in the top five European leagues over the last two-and-a-half years.
Muller seems to be improving as a creator with every passing day, consistently recording 21 assists each in his last three Bundesliga campaigns.
The 2020-21 campaign marked his most prolific Bundesliga season for Bayern in front of goal, with him recording 11 goals and 21 assists in 32 matches.
Also Read: 5 players who have scored the most goals in top five European leagues since 2020
