In football, an argument could be made that goal scorers would not be as successful as they are if it were not for the support they received from their teammates when attacking the opposition’s goal.
Although when it comes to football, goals win games and ultimately grab the headlines after each match, some of the actual hard work has come down to a player who creates the actual opportunity to score the goal, which could be as simple as a slight touch assisting the scorer.
The German Bundesliga has been a goal-haven for a number of strikers through the years, with the likes of Gerd Muller, Jupp Heynckes and Robert Lewandoski just a couple of men being the division’s most clinical marksmen throughout the history of the german’s football first division.
Therefore, it is important that a provider receives the recognition that they deserve, so here is our list of the top five goal providers in the history of the Bundesliga.
Max Kruse
Now plying his trade in the Turkish Süper Lig with Fenerbahçe after a free transfer last summer, Max Kruse comes in at number five in the all-time list of goal assistants. The forward managed to provide his teammates with a total of 68 assists as he played for Werder Bremen (across two spells), St. Pauli, Freiburg and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Impressively, the former Germany international also managed to bag himself an impressive 74 goals as well in the 250 appearances he had in the country’s top league.
Gonzalo Castro
Perhaps one of the most surprising names in the upper echelons of the chart is Gonzalo Castro. The midfielder has shown over the years that he has a remarkable vision when playing the ball to a teammate and can almost guarantee that he will be involved in the creative process when a goal is scored.
Over a period of 383 Bundesliga appearances (which could continue to rise in the future), the former Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and current Stuttgart man have managed to assist his colleagues in 77 goals.
Gonzalo Castro might not be one of the most iconic players but he’s certainly a legend starring in the list of the top goal providers ever.
Marco Reus
Borussia Dortmund football legend and two-time Germany footballer of the year winner, Marco Reus certainly does not look out of place in the bronze position of the top assistant’s chart. A Bundesliga honour might still elude him, however, the experienced attacker has also posed defences a real problem with his creativity and vision.
He has assisted 80 goals in his 279 top-flight appearances, which is in addition to the 127 goals he has also managed to score himself, showing that he is a complete second-striker.
Franck Ribéry
It should not come as a surprise to see a player who has played for Bayern Munich at some point be within the top two of leading goal providers. Franck Ribéry may not be at the Bavarian giants anymore, having moved to Italian outfit Fiorentina in 2019, however, he certainly left his mark on German football during his stay.
Over the 12 years he spent at the Allianz Arena, the former France international managed to provide his colleagues with a whopping 120 assists in the top-flight in 273 outings. The winger was also impressive with finding the back of the net on his own as well, scoring 86 times.
Thomas Müller: The Assists King
Of course, the top spot of the assists king has to be a player from Bayern Munich. In fact, he is synonymous with the Bavarians. Indeed, one-club legend Thomas Müller sits at the top of the charts when it comes down to providing his teammates with assists and unfortunately for some clubs, the German star does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Having broken the single-season record of 19 in the 2019/20 Bundesliga campaign, Müller has gone on to amass a ridiculously mammoth total of 144 assists in the 348 games he has played, whilst also contributing with 117 goals himself.
If Lewandowski is having a poor night in front of goal, you can bet Müller will be on hand to help out.
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