Ranking the top 5 UEFA Champions League assist providers in the last decade (2011 to 2021)

Cristiano Ronaldo is a five-time winner of the UEFA Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo is a five-time winner of the UEFA Champions League

#3 Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid / Paris Saint-Germain) - 29 assists

Angel Di Maria in action for PSG in the UEFA Champions League
Angel Di Maria in action for PSG in the UEFA Champions League

Angel Di Maria made a name for himself at Real Madrid and gave a standout performance in the 2014 UEFA Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

The Argentina international was almost unplayable on the night in Lisbon and it came as no surprise when he was named Man of the Match.

It proved to be Di Maria's last game in the colors of Real Madrid and he completed a mega-money transfer to Manchester United that summer.

It was a largely forgetable one-year spell at Old Trafford but Di Maria has since rediscovered his best form since joining Paris Saint-Germain.

Angel Di Maria's strengths lie in his technique, speed, vision and pin-point delivery. He utilizes his skill-set effectively and is one of the most creative players in the world today.

Proof of this lies in the fact that he is the third all-time assist provider in UEFA Champions League history, with 34 assists. Of these, 29 came in the 88 games he played in the tournament between 2011 and 2021.


#2 Neymar (Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain) - 29 assists

Neymar is the most expensive player in history
Neymar is the most expensive player in history

Unlike most of the players on this list, Neymar has just eight UEFA Champions League seasons under his belt, having joined Barcelona from Santos in the summer of 2013.

The Brazil international had made a name for himself in his nation with Santos and was earmarked as a star of the future from a tender age.

He has since gone on to cement his reputation as one of the greatest players of his generation and became a bonafide Blaugrana legend before his departure.

Neymar's partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez proved to be immensely beneficial to Barcelona. The famed 'MSN' forward line guidem them to UEFA Champions League glory in 2015.

That triumph was the icing on the cake in a spectacular season that saw the club also win La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Neymar starred on the continent with 10 goals to guide Barcelona to their fifth and most recent continental crown.

The 29-year-old joined PSG in a world-record transfer in 2017. But he has so far failed to guide the Parisians to their sought-after UEFA Champions League crown.

It, however, does not negate the fact that Neymar has been phenomenal in the competition over the last eight years. The former Santos man has provided 29 assists and scored 37 goals from 69 games in the tournament.


#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid / Juventus) - 30 assists

Cristiano Ronaldo is Mr Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo is Mr Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo is known as 'Mr UEFA Champions League' for a reason and his antecedents are there to justify the lofty moniker.

The Portugal international has lifted the 'Big Ears' on five occasions across his spells with Manchester United and Real Madrid. He is also the record goalscorer (134 goals), as well as the assist provider (42 assists) in the history of the tournament.

The 36-year-old came through at Sporting Lisbon before blossoming into a world-class player at Manchester United.

His displays at Old Trafford were seemingly exceptional but nothing compares to the otherworldly output he churned out in the Spanish capital.

Ronaldo broke records almost on a daily basis at Real Madrid and the club benefitted immensely from his output, particularly in the UEFA Champions League.

The Madeira native was the standout player in Real Madrid's four UEFA Champions League triumphs and concordantly enjoyed almost unprecedented individual glory.

Cristiano Ronaldo made 106 appearances in the UEFA Champions League between 2011 and 2021. He was the premier assist provider at the time with 30 assists.

He joined Juventus in the summer of 2018 after nine stellar seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu. But he is yet to deliver the sought-after continental crown for the Turin giants.


Also See: Seven European clubs to win a treble

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