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Spain has produced some of the most technically astute footballers over the years from their various football academies. Many players who have represented the national team have gone on to become a huge success for their respective clubs and have also earned legendary status.
The excitement around La Roja has recently died down owing to their failure to challenge for major trophies. Their last major silverware came a decade ago in the Euro Championship in 2012. Since Luis Enrique became the head coach of the team, he has been helping the team evolve according to the modern standards of football.
Signs of progress have also been visible with the Spanish national team reaching the finals of the UEFA Nations League last year and the semi-finals of Euro 2020. The title ambitions remain unfulfilled.
However, Luis Enrique is a man who is known for taking the right decision at the right time and the following list could help him make some crucial calls as he selects his World Cup squad. All of these players have something different to offer in terms of their playing style, but they all do one thing quite well and that's assisting the goalscorers.
Here are five Spanish players with the most assists in all competitions this season.
#5 Luis Alberto (Lazio) - 8 assists
Lazio midfielder Luis Alberto has always been an important source of goals from midfield for this team since joining them in 2017. He has been very versatile throughout his time in Italy, playing as a deep-lying playmaker, an attacking midfielder and even as a second striker on occasions.
Maurizio Sarri has mostly used him as a central midfielder this season, with the player given the freedom to move about freely between the boxes. Alberto has once again contributed important goals (4) and assists (8) for Lazio in his 37 appearances so far.
You could be forgiven for forgetting that the Spaniard once walked at Anfield wearing Liverpool colors in the 2013-14 season but was never able to cement his spot in the squad. His one and only appearance for the Spanish national team came back in 2017.
#4 Jordi Alba (Barcelona) - 9 assists
Jordi Alba has witnessed a slump in form in recent times as age continues to catch up with the successful left-back. However, he is one of the leaders in the young Barcelona squad that's developing under new manager Xavi Hernandez. The player has always been very passionate about representing the Catalan club and understands what it means to play for that badge.
He has always been a very aggressive fullback who works tirelessly on that left-flank, running up and down the pitch while maintaining a good balance between attack and defense. The 33-year old has had issues with his hamstring and muscle problems and Xavi has tried to manage his workload on occasions.
Alba has provided nine assists in 33 appearances this season and also found the back of the net twice. One of those goals was a sweetly struck volley against Atletico Madrid. It was questioned whether the Spanish international would be able to deliver the goods in Lionel Messi's absence, but Alba has proven everyone wrong in that regard.
#3 Iker Muniain (Athletic Club) - 9 assists
Iker Muniain was once nicknamed the "Spanish Messi". However, the player has been unable to live up to that hype. Unlike Lionel Messi, though, he remains a one-club man and will mostly see out the rest of his career at boyhood club Athletic Bilbao.
The striker has been playing some fine football this season and has not disappointed in terms of numbers as well. He has struck 5 goals and provided 9 assists in 32 appearances. Muniain has played on either wing this season and Marcelino has been able to get the best out of him in both positions.
He is currently among the best playmakers out there in Europe's top 5 leagues, and has made 3.5 key passes every 90 minutes. The 29-year old has only won two caps with the Spanish national team, his last being in 2019. With his consistent performances this season, the player is knocking on Luis Enrique's door to give him a chance at the World Cup in Qatar.
Muniain has been leading from the front, proudly wearing the armband and showing great passion for the club he has served for more than a decade.
#2 Sergio Canales (Real Betis) - 10 assists
Sergio Canales has represented clubs like Real Madrid, Valencia and Real Sociedad in his career but he has never been more successful anywhere than at Real Betis. Since joining them in 2018, he has been a crowd favorite and has continued to produce impressive performances for them.
Yet again this season, he is one of their stand-out players, bagging five goals and supplying 10 assists. Courtesy of his contributions, Betis find themselves in fifth position, four points behind the top four in what has been their strongest campaign in La Liga in many years.
Canales is a very elegant player who stitches passes with great composure and precision and has a knack for finding teammates in dangerous areas. It is a shame that Luis Enrique did not pick him for Spain's Euro squad last year. The 31-year old is worth giving a shot at the World Cup as his addition will bring in a leadership figure and a set-piece specialist as well.
#1 Angeliño (RB Leipzig) - 11 assists
Yet to earn his first senior cap for Spain, this will be the perfect time for Luis Enrique to bring Angelino into his side. The former Manchester City left-back has been such an entertaining player to watch since his move to RB Leipzig and continues to impress.
He initially joined the German club on loan for the 2020-21 season, but became an integral part of their squad, producing match-winning performances. The club returned for him in the 2021 summer transfer window and signed him permanently for €18 million.
The 25-year old has been important to his side when it comes to contributing with goals and assists this season, and on his day, he has been unstoppable. His tally of 11 assists makes him the Spanish player with the most amount in Europe's top 5 leagues.
Luis Enrique will persist with Jose Gaya and Jordi Alba in the left-back position, meaning Angelino will have to wait longer to make his Spain debut. The Leipzig left-back is more suited to a system that favors wingbacks because he is heavily attack minded and can be a liability in defense on occasions.
He is also not quite tall enough to give him an advantage in defending aerially and can be overcome in a shoulder-to-shoulder duel. However, Angelino does his best to make up for his defensive shortcomings by being an effective attacking outlet.
