FIFA World Cup Assist Kings: Players Who Created The Most Goals

Scoring goals may grab the headlines, but creating them is just as important at the FIFA World Cup. Some of football's greatest players have left their mark on the tournament not only through goals but also through their vision, creativity and ability to unlock defenses on the biggest stage.

Most football fans remember the iconic goals scored by Andrés Iniesta and Mario Götze in the FIFA World Cup finals that crowned Spain and Germany as world champions. But how many can recall the players who supplied the decisive passes that made those historic moments possible? Without those perfectly weighted assists, delivered with exceptional vision, timing and precision, the outcome of those finals—and perhaps World Cup history itself—could have been very different. Such is the importance of the players who create goals as much as those who score them.

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According to Opta's comprehensive review of every FIFA World Cup match since 1966, two Argentine legends sit at the top of the all-time assists chart. While Lionel Messi reached the summit through remarkable longevity across five tournaments, Diego Maradona produced one of the greatest creative displays in World Cup history during Argentina's triumphant 1986 campaign.

The list also features legendary playmakers and forwards from Germany, Brazil, Poland, England, France and Croatia, highlighting the players who created the most goals in World Cup finals since 1966.

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