Which footballer holds the record for the most assists in a calendar year?

Netizens have been searching for the player with the most assists in a calendar year. Some football assists have received more applause than goals and, therefore, cannot go unnoticed. Keep reading to discover the footballers with the highest number of assists.

A football assist is a contribution a player makes to a goal. League organizers, journalists and other stakeholders keep assist records for the different players. They earn several points, so they work hard to grow their statistics. So, who is the player with the most assists in a calendar year?

Players with the most assists in a calendar year

Every football season has players with exceptional performance and an impressive number of assists. Here are the athletes with the most assists in a soccer calendar year.

Mesut Oezil - 21

Mesut is a German professional footballer currently playing for İstanbul Başakşehir F.K as a midfielder. He was born in October 1988 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Oezil is famous for his no-look passing skills, originality, and vision.

He previously played for Arsenal and set a record for association football transfers in a deal worth approximately £42.5 million. In England, Mesut set the record for the second most Premier League assists in a calendar year (19), which saw Arsenal win a trophy after nine years.

The footballer was the joint-highest assist provider at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro in 2012. In 2015, Oezil became one of the players with the most assists (21). Additionally, the German player totalled 25 assists in the 2015/16 season, the highest number ever attained in all European competitions that season.

Filip Kostic - 22

Filip is a Serbian national who plays for the Serbian national team and Club Juventus as a left-wing and left-wing back. He was born in November 1992 in Kragujevac, Serbia.

In 2021, Kostic became one of the players with the most assists in a football calendar year (22). The left-footed player contributed 10 goals and 13 assists for Eintracht Frankfurt in all competitions at the 2018/19 Europa League.

Thierry Henry - 23

Former Arsenal player Thierry Henry also makes it to the list of players with the most assists in a single calendar year. The eight-time footballer of the year was born in August 1977 in Les Ulis, France.

Currently serving as Belgium's Assistant Coach, Henry is one of the Premier League players with the most assists. In the 2002/03 season, he had 20 assists and 24 goals, making him one of only two players with the most assists in a single season.

In 2003, he had 23 assists, the highest that calendar year. In 2021, the football legend became one of the first players inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Angel Fabian di Maria - 23

Di Maria also takes a spot as one of the footballers with the most assists in a calendar year in 2023. The Argentine professional footballer was born in February 1988 and is a midfielder for the Argentina national football team and Juventus F.C.

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In 2011, Maria had 23 assists, the highest that year. Before joining Juventus F.C. in July 2022, the player had 197 total league appearances at Paris Saint-Germain, 56 goals and 72 assists. He is known for his exemplary passes, becoming the player with the most assists in the top five European leagues in 2020/21.

Thomas Mueller - 30

German professional footballer Thomas Mueller also has an impressive number of assists in a calendar year. He currently plays as a forward for F.C Bayern Munich and the German national football team.

In 2021, Mueller gathered 30 assists, the highest in that calendar year. In 2021/22, he was the top assister in Bundesliga for the third time in four seasons. He made 32 appearances and had 18 assists. His Bundesliga assist record is as follows:

Lionel Messi - 36

Argentina national football team captain, who doubles as the Paris Saint-Germain F.C (PSG) forward Lionel Messi, once held the record for the most assists in a calendar year. In 2011, the player recorded a whopping 36 assists and 91 goals in 2012, breaking two world records.

Messi has been described as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He holds the record for the most goals and assists in a calendar year, including:

Dusan Tadic - 37

Serbian professional footballer Dusan Tadic broke Messi's record in 2021 when he recorded 37 assists. Born in November 1988, Tadic plays as a forward for AFC Ajax and the Serbia national football team.

The 34-year-old is a three-time footballer of the year winner (2016, 2019, 2021). Dusan started playing professionally at 18 and previously played for AIK Backa Topola, Vojvodina, Groningen, Southampton and Twente.

Who has the most assists in football history?

Football history has seen some of the finest players set impressive assist records on the pitch. Here are the top players with the most assists in their careers:

Netizens wondering who has the most assists in a calendar year can now compare their favourite players' performances as they predict who will set the next top assists record.

Sportsbrief published a list of the top 10 players with the most free-kicks in football history. This out-of-the-box kick requires precision to score, and these players have outdone themselves in their performance.

Some players with numerous goals include Cristiano Ronaldo, 57, and Lionel Messi, who has 58. Follow the link above and read about all the other top free-kick scorers in the game's history.