We are here with the list of Top Players With Most Assists in Each FIFA World Cup Since 1966. Goals may steal the spotlight, but assists often define the greatest World Cup campaigns. From legendary playmakers like Pelé and Diego Maradona to modern icons like Lionel Messi, the FIFA World Cup has showcased football's finest creators.
Below is a complete list of the top assist providers at every FIFA World Cup since 1966.
1966 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters: Siggi Held & Uwe Seeler
Stats
Assists: 4 each
Nation: West Germany
Held and Seeler shared the tournament lead as West Germany reached the final before narrowly losing to England.
1970 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Pelé
Stats
Assists: 6
Nation: Brazil
Pelé produced the greatest creative campaign in World Cup history, setting the all-time single-tournament assist record that still stands today while helping Brazil lift the trophy.
1974 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Robert Gadocha
Stats
Assists: 5
Nation: Poland
Gadocha played a starring role in Poland's memorable campaign, finishing as the tournament's leading creator.
1978 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters: Rob Rensenbrink & René van de Kerkhof
Stats
Assists: 3 each
Nation: Netherlands
The Dutch duo shared top spot as the Netherlands reached another World Cup final.
1982 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Pierre Littbarski
Stats
Assists: 5
Nation: West Germany
Littbarski emerged as the tournament's leading playmaker, helping West Germany reach the final.
1986 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Diego Maradona
Stats
Assists: 5
Nation: Argentina
Maradona combined five assists with one of the greatest individual World Cup performances ever, inspiring Argentina to the title in Mexico.
1990 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters: Andreas Brehme, Jozef Chovanec & Ľubomír Moravčík
Stats
Assists: 3 each
Nations: Germany & Czechoslovakia
Three players finished level at the top in one of the lowest-scoring World Cups in history.
1994 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Thomas Häßler
Stats
Assists: 5
Nation: Germany
Häßler showcased his creativity throughout the tournament, finishing with the highest assist tally.
1998 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters:
Dennis Bergkamp
Youri Djorkaeff
Tahar El-Khalej
Brian Laudrup
Ronaldo
Juan Sebastián Verón
Stats
Assists: 3 each
The 1998 tournament featured six different players sharing the assist crown, highlighting the abundance of creative talent across the competition.
2002 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Michael Ballack
Stats
Assists: 4
Nation: Germany
Ballack led Germany to the final with a series of influential displays, finishing as the tournament's top assist provider.
2006 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Francesco Totti
Stats
Assists: 4
Nation: Italy
Totti's vision and passing were key as Italy lifted their fourth FIFA World Cup title in 2006.
2010 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters:
Kaká
Dirk Kuyt
Thomas Müller
Mesut Özil
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Stats
Assists: 3 each
Five players finished level at the top in South Africa, with Germany contributing three names to the list.
2014 FIFA World Cup
Top Assister: Juan Cuadrado
Stats
Assists: 4
Nation: Colombia
Cuadrado enjoyed the finest World Cup of his career, leading all players in assists as Colombia reached the quarter-finals.
2018 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters: Multiple players
Stats
Highest assist tally: 2
Russia 2018 remains unique as no player managed more than two assists, underlining how evenly creativity was shared across the tournament.
2022 FIFA World Cup
Top Assisters:
Bruno Fernandes
Antoine Griezmann
Harry Kane
Lionel Messi
Ivan Perišić
Stats
Assists: 3 each
Messi capped his historic World Cup-winning campaign by sharing the assist crown alongside Bruno Fernandes, Griezmann, Kane, and Perišić.
Pelé's Record Still Stands
More than 50 years after the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Pelé's six assists remain the highest ever recorded by a player in a single World Cup tournament. Football legends like Diego Maradona (1986) and Thomas Häßler (1994) came closest with five assists, but none have been able to surpass the Brazilian icon's extraordinary creative achievement. We'll have to wait and see if any player manages to break Pelé's record after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
More Interesting Records on FIFA World Cup:
