Best Playmakers across top five leagues in Europe

Bengaluru, April 23: Football is a team game where the only secret to success is functioning of every department of the squad at its best. Strikers often get the limelight and it is no wonder why because it is goals that separate the winners from the losers. That is why forwards usually are the most celebrated footballers across the globe. However, goalkeeper, defenders and midfielders are all equally important in order to win games and silverwares.

In this article, we will celebrate playmakers, the one who is responsible to create goals as well as to create eye-soothing moves. Passing the ball looks like a very easy task but it is not that easy as it looks. In this article, we will take a look at the players with the best statistics in terms of playmaking across the top five leagues in Europe. Some names here would definitely come as a big surprise for many.

Premier League

Most successful passes: Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) (2,209)

Highest passing accuracy: John Stones (Manchester City) (94%)

Most successful passes in opposition half: Rodri (Manchester City) (1,069)

Highest passing accuracy in opposition half: John Stones (Manchester City) (93.9%)

Most passes ending in the final third: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) (740)

Highest passing accuracy ending in the final third: Ibrahim Amadou (Norwich City) (93.3%)

Most chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) (96)

Most big chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) (23)

Most assists: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) (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%)

Bundesliga

Most successful passes: Sven Bender (Bayer Leverkusen) (1,766)

Highest passing accuracy: Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund) (94.1%)

Most successful passes in opposition half: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) (873)

Highest passing accuracy in opposition half: Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund) (92.2%)

Most passes ending in final third: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) (576)

Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund) (88.4%)

Most chances created: Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig) (65)

Most big chances created: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) (24)

Most assists: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) (16)

Most assists from open play: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) (15)

Most crosses/corners successful: Filip Kostic (Eintracht Frankfurt) (71)

Highest crosses/ corners accuracy (min. 10): Dennis Geiger (1899 Hoffenheim) (50%)

La Liga

Most successful passes: Gerard Pique (Barcelona) (1,688)

Highest passing accuracy: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) (93.6%)

Most successful passes in opposition half: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) (957)

Highest passing accuracy, opposition half: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) (92.4%)

Most passes ending in final third: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (698)

Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) (90.3%)

Most chances created: Jose Campana (Levante) (58)

Most big chances created: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (22)

Most assists: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (12)

Most assists from open play: Portu (Real Sociedad) and Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (8)

Most crosses/corners successful: Jesus Navas (Sevilla) (43)

Highest crosses/ corners accuracy (min. 10): Benat Etxebarria (Athletic Bilbao) (55%)

Ligue 1

Most successful passes: Marco Verratti (PSG) (1,581)

Highest passing accuracy: Thiago Silva (PSG) (95.5%)

Most successful passes in opposition half: Marco Verratti (PSG) (956)

Highest passing accuracy in opposition half: Thiago Silva (PSG) (92.8%)

Most passes ending in final third: Angel Di Maria (PSG) (543)

Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Colin Dagba (PSG) (86%)

Most chances created: Dimitri Payet (Olympique de Marseille) (87)

Most big chances created: Angel Di Maria (PSG) (31)

Most assists: Angel Di Maria (PSG) (14)

Most assists from open play: Angel Di Maria (PSG) (10)

Most crosses/corners successful: Dimitri Payet (Olympique de Marseille) (63)

Highest crosses/ corners accuracy (min. 10): Marco Verratti (PSG) (54.6%)

Serie A

Most successful passes: Fabian Ruiz (Napoli) (1,488)

Highest passing accuracy: Marlon Santos (Sassuolo) (94.1%)

Most successful passes in opposition half: Fabian Ruiz (Napoli) (932)

Highest passing accuracy in opposition half: Eljif Elmas (Napoli) (91.5%)

Most passes ending in final third: Luis Alberto (Lazio) (723)

Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Walace (Udinese) (89.7%)

Most chances created: Luis Alberto (Lazio) (75)

Most big chances created: Luis Alberto (Lazio) (16)

Most assists: Luis Alberto (Lazio) (12)

Most assists from open play: Luis Alberto (Lazio) and Alejandro Gomez (Atalanta) (9)

Most crosses/corners successful: Erick Pulgar (Fiorentina) (46)

Highest crosses/ corners accuracy (min. 10): Armando Izzo (Torino) (54.6%)

So far, we have seen the best playmakers of each of the top five leagues. Now, we will take a look at the best playmakers of all five leagues combined according to these same statistics

Most successful passes: Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) (2,209)

Highest passing accuracy: Thiago Silva (PSG) (95.5%)

Most successful passes in opposition half: Rodri (Manchester City) (1,069)

Highest passing accuracy in opposition half: John Stones (Manchester City) (93.9%)

Most passes ending in final third: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) (740)

Highest passing accuracy ending in final third: Ibrahim Amadou (Norwich City) (93.3%)

Most chances created: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) (96)

Most big chances created: Angel Di Maria (PSG) (31)

Most assists: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) and Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) (16)

Most assists from open play: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) (15)

Most crosses/corners successful: Filip Kostic (Eintracht Frankfurt) (71)

Highest crosses/ corners accuracy (min. 10): Benat Etxebarria (Athletic Bilbao) (55%)