The Stat-Based Top 30 Goal Assisters in Europe for the 2010/11 Season

Andres EhrliJul 11, 2011

Who are the top assisters in Europe? Xavi? Iniesta? Xabi Alonso? Kaká? Wayne Rooney? Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Nuri Sahin? Andrea Pirlo?

Well, none of those are on this list. And like my article on the Top 30 scorers in Europe, it's not because I don't like them or because they're being ranked on subjective measurements.

This list is based on hard and pure facts only: passes that end in goals (assists) and goals as tie-breakers. Pure and simple stats.

All of the players on this list had 16 assists or more this season, and some of the names you'll see on this Top 30 will surprise you.

30. Mario Götze: Borussia Dortmund

1 of 30

Assists this season:

Bundesliga: 15

Europa League: 1

German Cup: 0

Total Assists: 16

Total Goals: 8

Many might have thought Nuri Sahin was Borussia Dortmund's top assister this season, given his recent rise to fame when he signed for Real Madrid, yet it was Mario Götze who took the title.

He also sneaks into the Top 30, topping Iniesta, Xavi, Rooney and others who were just below him in total assists.

29. Cesc Fábregas: Arsenal FC

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Assists this season:

Premier League: 13

Champions League: 2

FA Cup: 0

Carling Cup: 1

Total Assists: 16

Total Goals: 9

Cesc had a subpar season, and he still managed to be a top 30 assister in Europe.

If he joins Barcelona, he'll have the honor of saying he had one more assist than teammates Xavi and Iniesta for the 2010/11 season.

28. Ezequiel Lavezzi: SSC Napoli

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Assists this season:

Serie A: 14

Europa League: 2

Coppa Italia: 0

Total Assists: 16

Total Goals: 9

Lavezzi is very underrated. Making this list is proof enough.

While everybody spends their days talking about Pastore's assisting ability, Ezequiel won the statistical battle with his Argentinian buddy.

27. Jefferson Farfán: Schalke 04

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Assists this season:

Bundesliga: 10

Champions League: 2

German Cup: 4

Total Assists: 16

Total Goals: 10

Jefferson Farfán had a magnificent season with Schalke and was a big part of their success in Europe.

You can be sure those 16 assists were very welcome for Raúl and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

26. Luuk De Jong: FC Twente

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Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 12

Champions League: 0

Europa League: 0

Dutch Cup: 4

Total Assists: 16

Total Goals: 20

Luuk de Jong's brother Siem is Ajax's No. 10 and is considered the midfielder, while Luuk is the goal scorer. Yet the younger de Jong took him to the cleaners with his 16 assists.

25. Christian Eriksen: Ajax Amsterdam

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Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 11

Champions League: 2

Europa League: 2

Dutch Cup: 2

Total Assists: 17

Total Goals: 8

A gifted passer from Denmark that plays for Ajax.

You don't need to be a football expert to think of Laudrup in the next five seconds after you read that. Yet, young Christian Eriksen just might reach a level similar to what the Danish maestro once had.

In his first season as a full-time starter with the Ajacied, he has 17 assists.

Reason enough to believe, indeed.

24. Wesley Verhoek: ADO Den Haag

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Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 16

Dutch Cup: 1

Total Assists: 17

Total Goals: 8

Wesley who? Don't be surprised if you see many names on this list you don't know.

Verhoek had a terrific season for ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands, he's 24 years old, and at 1.87m, he has the power and the speed on the wings to play in a way better team.

The stats can talk in his stead.

23. Anthony Stokes: Celtic FC

8 of 30

Assists this season:

Scottish Premier League: 11

Europa League: 1

Scottish Cup: 2

Scottish League Cup: 3

Total Assists: 17

Total Goals: 20

Irish star Anthony Stokes had a fantastic year for Celtic in Scotland, putting almost 40 goals on the scoreboard himself by scoring and assisting.

He's 22 years old and in him Celtic, even though they paid only €1.450.000 for him, have a player that looks very much like a poor man's Wayne Rooney (while having even better stats than him).

22. Alex: Fenerbahce SC

9 of 30

Assists this season:

Turkish Süper Lig: 17

Turkish Cup: 0

Total Assists: 17

Total Goals: 28

Alex participated in almost 50 goals this season for Fenerbahce and was one of Europe's top performers this season, let alone assisters.

He's 33, so we won't be seeing many more seasons like this one from him, but he'll certainly remember it dearly in his heart.

21. Marvin Martin: FC Sochaux-Montbeliard

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Assists this season:

Ligue 1: 18

Champions League: 0

French Cup: 0

French League Cup: 0

Total Assists: 18

Total Goals: 4

"The next Zidane!" some will cry. Yeah, him. Marvin Martin scored twice in his NT debut with France and is hot property right now.

Sochaux will probably get €10 million or more from someone looking to get the next, next, next, Zidane.

That said, his season and his 18 assists were quite impressive.

20. James Rodríguez: FC Porto

11 of 30

Assists this season:

SuperLiga: 11

Europa League: 5

Portuguese Cup: 2

Portuguese League Cup: 0

Total Assists: 18

Total Goals: 6

Another unknown name, the Colombian 19-year-old youth player James Rodriguez had 18 assists while being largely used as a sub this season at Porto. Needless to say, his potential in a full season is tantalizing.

He'll play both the Copa América and the U20 World Cup this summer, so you'll be hearing more from him soon.

19. Juan Manuel Mata: Valencia CF

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Assists this season:

La Liga: 13

Champions League: 3

Copa del Rey: 2

Total Assists: 18

Total Goals: 9

Juan Manuel Mata took over David Silva's play-making role in Valencia with ease and had more assists than his former teammate, who had 14 at Manchester City.

Now he's looking for an exit himself, and he could play in England as well after proving that, at least statistically, he's one of the top 20 passers in the world and better than Silva himself.

18. Balasz Dzsudzsak: PSV Eindhoven

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Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 13

Europa League: 4

Dutch Cup: 1

Total Assists: 18

Total Goals: 23

Fantastic season for the Hungarian winger Balasz Dzsudzsak, contributing to more than 40 goals at PSV.

And he got his payday already in a €14 million transfer to new, rich Anzhi in Russia.

He deserves it.

17. Samuel Eto'o: Inter Milan

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Assists this season:

Serie A: 12

Champions League: 5

UEFA Supercup: 0

Supercoppa Italiana: 0

Coppa Italia: 0

FIFA Club World Cup: 1

Total Assists: 18

Total Goals: 37

Almost 60 goals with 18 passed for Eto'o?

That's stupidly good for the Inter man, and if it weren't for the CR7s and Messis, the Cameroonian would be a Ballon d'Or winner (or at least competitor) for sure.

16. Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid CF

15 of 30

Assists this season:

La Liga: 13

Champions League: 4

Copa del Rey: 1

Total Assists: 18

Total Goals: 53

Yet "The CR7" does exist and he had 70 plus goals in total this season for Real Madrid.

I think the stat alone says enough.

15. Andriy Arshavin: Arsenal FC

16 of 30

Assists this season:

Premier League: 12

Champions League: 2

FA Cup: 2

Carling Cup: 3

Total Assists: 19

Total Goals: 10

A bench-warmer for Arsenal is their top assister. Fitting, isn't it?

Is he the most under-rated player on that squad?

You decide.

14. Didier Drogba: Chelsea FC

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Assists this season:

Premier League: 15

Champions League: 2

FA Cup: 2

Community Shield: 0

Total Assists: 19

Total Goals: 13

What? Didier had more assists than goals? What's going on?

Torres' season was bad, but this is insane.

I might go crazy myself if I continue to write about how impressed I am that Drogba is a top 15 assister in Europe.

Moving on, then...

13. Jeremain Lens: PSV Eindhoven

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Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 15

Europa League: 2

Dutch Cup: 2

Total Assists: 19

Total Goals: 13

A relatively unknown player who features sparingly for the Netherland NT, Jeremain Lens cost the Eindhoven side €6.100.000 and has almost payed them in full with his 19-assist season.

12. Thomas Müller: Bayern Munich

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Assists this season:

Bundesliga: 13

Champions League: 4

German Cup: 2

Total Assists: 19

Total Goals: 19

Thomas Müller just might be the most complete forward out there not named Lionel Messi. He can play everywhere and, as his stats prove, likes both scoring and assisting to the same levels.

11. Christian Tiffert: FC Kaisersalutern

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Assists this season:

Bundesliga: 17

German Cup: 3

Total Assists: 20

Total Goals: 2

You might be making a Christian Tiffert face when you read Christian Tiffert is a top 10 assister in the World.

The German has been a journeyman for most of his career and has never played a single match with tthe Mannschaft.

Maybe he should.

10. Dani Alves: FC Barcelona

21 of 30

Assists this season:

La Liga: 14

Champions League: 3

Copa del Rey: 2

Supercopa: 1

Total Assists: 20

Total Goals: 4

The only defender on this list, some say he's overrated.

Now consider this. He had 20 assists. Iniesta and Xavi had 15. Villa and Pedrito had 11 and 12 respectively.

You were saying, Dani Alves doubters?

9. Nani: Manchester United

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Assists this season:

Premier League: 19

Champions League: 0

FA Cup: 0

Community Shield: 1

Total Assists: 20

Total Goals: 10

Nani had an amazing Premier League season. And a horrible European one. And a top 10 assister season overall.

Which is the real Nani?

Watch the 2011/12 season with Ashley Young as a starter on Manchester United to find out!

8. Dusan Tadic: FC Groningen

23 of 30

Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 18

Dutch Cup: 0

Dutch European Qualifiers: 4

Total Assists: 22

Total Goals: 7

The 22-year-old Serbian Dusan Tadic had a monster season with 22 assists in Groningen.

He cost the Dutch side a little over €1 million.

For a Top 10 assister, I'd say that's a good buy.

7. Franck Ribery: Bayern Munich

24 of 30

Assists this season:

Bundesliga: 17

Champions League: 1

German Cup: 4

Total Assists: 22

Total Goals: 11

I don't like Ribéry. But it's hard to argue with numbers.

Even so, I'll allow myself to say he doesn't play as well as his stats might make you think.

6. Nené: FC Paris Saint-Germain

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Assists this season:

Ligue 1: 13

Europa League: 4

Franch Cup: 6

French League Cup: 0

Total Assists: 23

Total Goals: 20

Nené had a magnificent season for PSG.

Imagine what he'll do if the French squad sign Eto'o.

He'll certainly crack the Top Five then.

5. Dries Mertens: FC Utrecht

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Assists this season:

Eredivisie: 17

Europa League: 5

Dutch Cup: 2

Total Assists: 24

Total Goals: 14

Belgian Dries Mertens was magnificent for Utrecht both on Dutch territory and in Europe. That's the reason teammate Kevin Strootman and him will join PSV Eindhoven for 2011-12

Lots of people are talking about another Belgium International, Eden Hazard, who Mertens absolutely owns on this list.

The Lille playmaker had 15 assists and isn't even in the Top 30.