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Football is a game which is won by scoring goals. But the process behind scoring one isn’t quite as simple as that one kick that leads to it. Assist makers are pivotal to any successful team, and there have been these four horsemen that have stood tall during Spain’s rise to the dominance of the football world starting 2008. They are the highest four assist makers in Spain’s history and are a reason why Spain’s football had a golden period back then.

4) Andres Iniesta – 21 assists : 

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Arguably one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Iniesta is an absolute joy to watch with the ball at his feet. Possessing exceptional ball control, a deft touch and vision, a vital Cog in the midfield, Iniesta has proven his quality time and again with spectacular performances for the national team and also his club FC Barcelona. He has also weighed in with some important goals , with the most notable being the win against Netherlands in the 2010 world cup Final and the extra time winner against Chelsea in the 2009 UEFA champions league semi-final.

3) David Silva – 22 assists :

Referred to as ‘The Wild Pony’, the attacking midfielder made his international debut in 2006 at the age of 18. Since then he has always been present in the squad but did not get as much game time as expected only because of being born in the same generation as Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso and countless more . However his stature in the national team kept growing particularly because of his versatility and a dynamic style of play. He has also been instrumental in Manchester City’s recent rise as one of the best football clubs in the world.

2) Xavi Hernandez – 27 assists :

The diminutive Spaniard is known for his exceptional passing skills with a knack for defense splitting through balls, so it is hardly a surprise to find Xavi on this list. Since making his debut in 2000 in a 2-1 defeat against the Dutch , Xavi went on to represent Spain at every major tournament and was named Euro 2008 Player of the Tournament (Euro 2008 Golden Ball) for his exceptional performances in the center of the park , controlling the game with his wide range of vision and passing. He also won the Ballon d’Or Bronze Award and won third place in FIFA World Player of the Year, followed by third place in FIFA Ballon d’Or in 2010 and 2011 , after the two awards were merged.

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1) Cesc Fabregas – 28 assists

The 28 year-old became Spain’s all-time leading assist maker after providing to Paco Alcacer in a 4-0 win over Luxembourg. A creative midfielder possessing great passing skills and vision, Cesc has provided numerous assists wherever he has played, be it Arsenal, Barcelona or Chelsea. He made it into top flight football by the age of 16, playing for Arsenal FC in the English Premier League. He made his international debut in Spain in 2006 becoming the youngest player capped for Spain. He has not looked back since then, representing Spain at every major tournament since. He has also been utilised as a striker by Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque, most notably in Euro 2012. A masterful act, he tops this list as the greatest assist maker Spain has had in its history, and doesn’t seem like he’s looking back anytime soon.

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