Opta Woah! The top playmakers across Europe's top-five leagues in 2019-20
Joe Wright
April 16, 2020
14:43 MYT
Passing the ball can sometimes look like the easiest thing in the world to do. At least, it does when these guys do it.
Our latest dive into the data of 2019-20 sees us look at the best playmakers in Europe's top-five leagues before the season was called to a halt.
We've deliberately broadened our approach to what constitutes a playmaker here – Gerard Pique doesn't often appear as a number 10, unless Barca are in real trouble – as the idea is to offer a wider consideration of those players who generally use the ball better than most when in possession.
To that end, we've looked at 12 different metrics to come up with the top performers of the campaign, again from among those to make at least 10 league appearances.
While some stars are not exactly strange to see in the list below, there is a handful of more surprising names, too...
THE TOP PLAYMAKERS IN EUROPE'S TOP-FIVE LEAGUES 2019-20:
BUNDESLIGA:
Most successful passes: Sven Bender (1,766)
Highest passing accuracy: Axel Witsel (94.1 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Joshua Kimmich (873)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Axel Witsel (92.2)
Most passes ending in final third: Jadon Sancho (576)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Axel Witsel (88.4 per cent)
Most chances created: Christopher Nkunku (65)
Most big chances created: Thomas Muller (24)
Most assists: Thomas Muller (16)
Most assists from open play: Thomas Muller (15)
Most crosses/corners successful: Filip Kostic (71)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10):
Dennis Geiger (50 per cent)
15 - Jadon Sancho has now assisted 15 goals in the Bundesliga this season, a new personal record. The only other @BlackYellow player to assist as many goals in a single #Bundesliga season was Henrikh Mkhitaryan 2015/16 (15). Artist. #BMGBVB pic.twitter.com/CiAWQ3bvAB
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) March 7, 2020
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LALIGA:
Most successful passes: Gerard Pique (1,688)
Highest passing accuracy: Toni Kroos (93.6 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Sergio Busquets (957)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Toni Kroos (92.4)
Most passes ending in final third: Lionel Messi (698)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Toni Kroos (90.3)
Most chances created: Jose Campana (58)
Most big chances created: Lionel Messi (22)
Most assists: Lionel Messi (12)
Most assists from open play: Portu and Lionel Messi (8)
Most crosses/corners successful: Jesus Navas (43)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10):
Benat (55 per cent)
23014 - Sergio Busquets has attempted 23014 passes the last decade, more than any other player in the Top 5 European Leagues. Style@FCBarcelona #FCB#Opta2010s pic.twitter.com/rJ9owdzNvE
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 26, 2019
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LIGUE 1:
Most successful passes: Marco Verratti (1,581)
Highest passing accuracy: Thiago Silva (95.5 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Marco Verratti (956)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Thiago Silva (92.8 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Angel Di Maria (543)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Colin Dagba (86 per cent)
Most chances created: Dimitri Payet (87)
Most big chances created: Angel Di Maria (31)
Most assists: Angel Di Maria (14)
Most assists from open play: Angel Di Maria (10)
Most crosses/corners successful: Dimitri Payet (63)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10):
Marco Verratti (54.6 per cent)
14 - Most assists after 26 matchdays of a season in Ligue 1 since Opta collects its data (2006/07): Angel Di Maria - 14 this season Marvin Martin - 13 in 2010/11 Neymar - 12 in 2017/18 Specialist. pic.twitter.com/weY7r1qlPP
— Optajean (@OptaJean) February 24, 2020
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PREMIER LEAGUE:
Most successful passes: Virgil van Dijk (2,209)
Highest passing accuracy: John Stones (94 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Rodri (1,069)
Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: John Stones (93.9 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Kevin De Bruyne (740)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Ibrahim Amadou (93.3 per cent)
Most chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (96)
Most big chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (23)
Most assists: Kevin De Bruyne (16)
Most assists from open play: Kevin De Bruyne (14)
Most crosses/corners successful: Kevin De Bruyne (69)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10):
Christian Atsu (47.1 per cent)
3 - Kevin De Bruyne is the first player in Premier League history to provide 15+ assists in three different campaigns. Genius. #SHUMNC pic.twitter.com/yMrOqpLsRW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 21, 2020
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SERIE A:
Most successful passes: Fabian Ruiz (1,488)
Highest passing accuracy: Marlon Santos (94.1 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Fabian Ruiz (932)
Passing accuracy, opposition half: Eljif Elmas (91.5 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Luis Alberto (723)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Walace (89.7 per cent)
Most chances created: Luis Alberto (75)
Most big chances created: Luis Alberto (16)
Most assists: Luis Alberto (12)
Most assists from open play: Luis Alberto and Alejandro Gomez (9)
Most crosses/corners successful: Erick Pulgar (46)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10):
Armando Izzo (54.6 per cent)
15 - Luis Alberto , in 2019, has delivered the joint-most assists in Serie A in a single calendar year (15) over the last 15 years, along with Cassano (2009), Cossu (2010) and Mertens (2017). Fantasy. pic.twitter.com/D7b6JclVDP
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) December 9, 2019
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AND THE TOP 12:
Most successful passes: Virgil van Dijk (2,209)
Highest passing accuracy: Thiago Silva (95.5 per cent)
Most successful passes, opposition half: Rodri (1,069)
Passing accuracy, opposition half: John Stones (93.9 per cent)
Most passes ending in final third: Kevin De Bruyne (740)
Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Ibrahim Amadou (93.3 per cent)
Most chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (96)
Most big chances created: Angel Di Maria (31)
Most assists: Thomas Muller and Kevin De Bruyne (16)
Most assists from open play: Thomas Muller (15)
Most crosses/corners successful: Filip Kostic (71)
Highest crosses/corners accuracy (min. 10):
Benat (55 per cent)