Whether or not you play soccer, understanding the concept of a goal is fundamental. Scoring goals is the essence of soccer.
However, there’s another crucial metric that often goes unnoticed—the soccer assist.
In soccer, assists play a vital role in scoring goals. They are contributions made by players that lead directly to a goal. When a player makes a pass that sets up a goal, they are credited with an assist. Assists are a significant statistic in soccer, indicating a player’s ability to create scoring opportunities.
To be considered an assist, the pass must meet specific criteria:
- The pass was the last one before the goal was scored.
- The pass enabled the scorer to score without the opposition team players intercepting the ball.
- The pass was a significant contribution to the goal.
Even if the scorer dribbled into space, got tackled, or crossed over a defender, the pass would still be considered an assist if it was the last pass to the scorer. Assists serve as a foundational measure of a player’s creativity and passing skills and are commonly used across various leagues.
However, while assists are essential in assessing a player’s creativity, they are not the sole indicator. They often serve as a starting point to analyze the said prowess.
Examples of assists in soccer
- A player making a pass to a teammate in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, resulting in a goal.
- A player crossing the ball into the box, leading to a header goal by another player.
- A player dribbling past a defender and then passing to a teammate who scores.
- A player crossing the ball to attackers from corner or free kick to a header goal by another player
Assists are essential in soccer and are valuable for evaluating a player’s performance. Players who excel in creating scoring opportunities for their teammates are often referred to as “playmakers.” These playmakers are highly prized as they can help their team create chances and win games.
Players with most assists in Europe in 2022/23
In the 2022/2023 season, Lionel Messi, Kevin De Bruyne, and Antoine Griezmann shined on the Assists charts in European soccer. All three players achieved an impressive record of 16 assists each.
They play diverse positions at their respective clubs:
- Kevin De Bruyne operates as the chief creator at Manchester City in England, playing in the middle of the park.
- Griezmann serves as a supporting striker at Atletico Madrid in Spain but often drops deep into the midfield to create opportunities for his teammates.
- Lionel Messi roams from a right-wing position into the center, utilizing his vision and passing to create chances for his attacking teammates.
This variety in positions demonstrates that there isn’t a fixed role for the most creative players in modern-day soccer.
Another example is Kieran Trippier, who acts as the chief creator for Newcastle United in England while playing at right-back.
Having multiple creative players in a team proves advantageous, as exemplified by Manchester City from England. They dominated European football last season, with various players like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Riyad Mahrez, all contributing significantly to creating chances for their teammates to score goals.
