Mesut Özil’s Assist Record Shows How Good He Was

Mesut Özil's reputation as one of football's greatest creators is backed up by an impressive record across Europe's biggest competitions.

The former Germany international has finished at or near the top of the assist charts in the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Champions League, Europa League, European Championship and World Cup.

Özil led the Bundesliga in assists during the 2009/10 season with Werder Bremen. He then topped La Liga's assist chart with Real Madrid in 2011/12.

His European record is just as impressive.

Özil finished joint-top for assists in the 2009/10 Europa League with six, alongside Ángel Di María.

The following season, he was joint-top in the Champions League with six assists, alongside Barcelona midfielder Andrés Iniesta.

His international numbers add another layer to the argument.

At the 2010 World Cup, Özil registered three assists, putting him among the joint leaders of the tournament. He also finished joint-top with three assists at Euro 2012.

Then there was his Premier League peak.

Özil produced 19 assists for Arsenal in 2015/16, the second-highest total ever recorded in a Premier League season at the time. Only Thierry Henry's 20 assists in 2002/03 were higher.

These numbers help explain why Özil was so highly regarded at his peak.

His game was built around vision, passing and creating chances rather than scoring goals himself. Real Madrid even described him as an “assist machine” when looking back at his time at the club.

The later stages of his career have perhaps changed how some fans remember him.

But when the full record is considered, it is difficult to deny how extraordinary Özil was as a creator.

Was Mesut Özil one of the most underrated players of his generation?