Football, as known, is a team sport, but even as goalscorers often receive most of the plaudits when a game is won, it is the creative playmakers in the team that make those scoring chances possible.
While his longtime rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo has brought the best out of both players, Argentina captain Lionel Messi set a new record in his side’s demolition of Puerto Rico in an international friendly match in the early hours of Wednesday.
The 38-year-old set up two of his side’s six goals, reaching a new benchmark in football. But where does Messi rank among the ‘assist-men’ in international football, and are there any surprising names in the top five list?
Stay tuned as SportPremi highlights the top five players with the most assists in international football history.
| Players | Country | Number of Assists |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 60 |
| Neymar Junior | Brazil | 59 |
| Landon Donovan | United States | 58 |
| Ferenc Puskas | Hungary | 53 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Belgium | 53 |
5. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, 53 assists)
Maybe the ‘De’ in his name is short for ‘creativity’. Kevin De Bruyne is arguably one of the greatest creative playmakers in modern football history and has tallied 53 assists for Belgium, ranking him fifth on this list.
The Napoli midfielder is tied with Ferenc Puskas as the highest assist provider in international football for a European country.
At 34, he continues to prove his worth to the Belgian team, bagging a brace in a recent World Cup qualifying match win over Wales.
4. Ferenc Puskas (Hungary, 53 assists)
So great they named a goal award after him, Ferenc Puskas was at the front of a golden era of Hungarian players that won a gold medal at the 1952 Olympic Games and finished second at the 1954 FIFA World Cup.
The former Real Madrid forward provided 53 assists in just 85 caps, as well as adding a record 84 goals for the country.
READ ALSO: Players with the Most Hat-Tricks in La Liga History.
3. Landon Donovan (United States, 58 assists)
United States legend Landon Donovan appears as the third name on this list, having provided 58 assists during his playing career for the Yanks.
Donovan also sits top of the USMNT’s all-time goalscoring chart alongside Clint Dempsey (57) and is also the Major League Soccer’s all-time assist provider with 136.
2. Neymar (Brazil, 59 assists)
Former Barcelona superstar Neymar Junior has provided 59 assists for the Brazil national team in 128 appearances.
The 33-year-old is also the Selecao’s all-time record scorer with 79, having surpassed the legendary Pele in 2023.
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina, 60 assists)
In typical fashion, Lionel Messi continues to redefine greatness after adding yet another record to his glittering career, as he overtakes his close friend Neymar on this list.
He now stands high on the all-time assists chart in international football, and it’s almost certain he’ll extend that record before bringing his legendary career to an end.
