Who Has the Most Assists in FIFA World Cup History?

Which men's player has the most assists in World Cup history? 

Some of the best players ever to step foot on a pitch are featured in the list of the players with the most assists at the World Cup. 

The top 10 features the likes of Brazil icon Pele, former England captain David Beckham, and Germany duo Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller.

The only active player who could usurp Diego Maradona, the Argentina icon, is his countryman Lionel Messi ahead of the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. 

Argentina face fixtures against Algeria, Austria and Jordan, so Messi is likely to be rubbing his hands together at the prospect of becoming the leading assists-maker in the history of the competition. 

The top 10 is as follows:

FIFA only records assists stats from 1966 onwards, so tournaments beforehand are not featured in this table. 

Which men's player has the most assists in a single World Cup? 

It should come as little surprise that the player with the most assists in a single World Cup is Brazil great Pele. 

Playing at the 1970 World Cup, Pele recorded six assists in six games, as Brazil went on to glory. 

They topped their group with three wins from three; they thumped Czechoslovakia 4-1, beat defending champions England 1-0, and rounded out their group stage with a 3-2 victory over Romania.

In the quarter-finals, they beat Peru 4-2, and downed Uruguay 3-1 in the semi-finals. Then, in the final against Italy, Brazil proved their worth as the best team in the world, smashing Italy 4-1. 

Which women's player has the most assists in World Cup history? 

FIFA only began recording assist statistics from 2003 onwards, meaning the Women's World Cups from 1991 to 1999 are not featured. 

There have been two representatives of the United States Women's National Team, including Alex Morgan and Mia Hamm, who both registered five assists in their appearances at the competition. 

The player to have provided the most assists in one competition is Maren Meinert, who enjoyed a stunning tournament in 2003. 

Germany won the World Cup in 2003, beating Sweden 2-1 in the final. Meinert's side had been remarkably prolific throughout the competition, scoring 13 goals in three games in the group stages, including a 6-1 win over Argentina, and they then beat Russia 7-1 and the United States 3-0 before the showpiece final.

Which women's player has the most assists in a single World Cup?

Hamm is perhaps the most famous name on this list, having registered five assists throughout the 2003 World Cup. Amazingly, four of the top-five players with the most assists in a single World Cup did so at the 2003 tournament. 

That includes Meinert, who managed to register seven assists throughout the tournament. 

Birgit Prinz, her Germany team-mate, recorded five assists in the 2003 World Cup as Germany swept all of their opponents aside en route to victory. 

Hamm's US lost 3-0 to Germany in the semi-final, while Victoria Sandell's Sweden were the beaten finalists. 

At the 2011 World Cup, Japan were the eventual victors and Aya Miyama was central to that form, as her side progressed from a group also featuring England, Mexico, and New Zealand - losing to England and beating their other two opponents - before they beat Germany after extra time in the quarter-finals, Sweden in the semi-finals and France in the final.