When someone asks you to name a Premier League player whose name is synonymous with assists, your mind will immediately turn to Mesut Özil Stuart Ripley Dimitri Payet.
The West Ham United midfielder laid on 12 goals for teammates in the league last season, but it’s on the international stage where he has really flourished.
Last night’s win for France in Amsterdam came courtesy of a mindbending 10-yard square pass to Paul Pogba, making it impossible for him not to take a few touches, pull the trigger and fire home from 30-yards via a questionable piece of goalkeeping from Maarten Stekelenburg. Let’s be honest, Pogba’s work was more or less done for him.
Paul Pogba's goal for France vs. Netherlands. #WorldCupQualifier pic.twitter.com/DDxfp17los
— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) October 11, 2016
So, that’s Payet’s name among the greats of the game, but who else can we add to the list?
Tom Carroll
The Spurs midfielder (yes, he’s still there) had his defining moment back in 2013 against West Ham United.
With the clock ticking down, Andre Villas-Boas’ team needed something special to take all three points at the Boleyn Ground. Luckily they had it in the form of Carroll.
It was his world-class five-yard pass that presented Gareth Bale with a straightforward jinking run and top-corner finish. Honestly, he couldn’t miss.
Héctor Enrique
Argentina’s victory over England at the 1986 World Cup had many memorable moments, but there’s one touch which everyone talks about.
No, not Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal. No, not any of the 12 touches which produced Maradona’s second of the game. We’re talking about Enrique’s pass which made that lead-doubling goal a formality.
It takes something really special to spot a gap in front of a teammate, so – by that logic – spotting four gaps is four times as good. Bravo, Héctor.
Xavi
Lionel Messi’s goal against Getafe in 2007 was good, sure, but would it have been possible without Xavi’s vision? Don’t answer that.
All we know is that Messi’s mazy solo run all stemmed from the best hospital pass ever, from a true genius.
If Xavi had laid the ball on a plate for the then-teenage Argentine, he might have relaxed and – dare we say it – passed to a teammate. The Barcelona captain knew exactly what he was doing.
Erik Pieters
It takes a real telepathy for a midfielder to know an attacking teammate’s next move, but we shouldn’t underestimate the capacity for a defender to have a similar relationship with the man behind him.
Erik Pieters was playing only his 10th game in English football when his Stoke City team welcomed Southampton to the Potteries, but he knew what goalkeeper Asmir Begovic was capable of.
After all, few others would have had the supreme vision to lay the ball back for the Bosnia international to float one over Artur Boruc from 90-plus yards. Lesser defenders would have probably hoofed the ball out of play, or panicked and smacked it into Begovic’s face like an idiot, but not our Erik. He’s a class above.
Brian McClair
David Beckham might have won the plaudits for his halfway line strike against Wimbledon back in 1996, but does it really count if he was looking at the ball while doing it.
Brian McClair’s contribution was far more impressive, waving the outside of a boot at a loose ball in midfield and willing it into the path of his colleague.
Some players get accused of not earning their fantasy football points, but that’s hardly an accusation you can level at the Scotsman. If that’s because you didn’t know he set up the goal until just now, well, that’s your own fault.
#OTD 17th August 1996, David Beckham scored from the halfway line past Wimbledon keeper Neil Sullivan. pic.twitter.com/Kf8fiOfOrc
— Manchester United (@theunitedend) August 17, 2016
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