There have been many great playmakers in the MLS. We're talking about big names like Carlos Valderrama, Landon Donovan, and Marco Etcheverry. These players have all made their marks with their goal contributions and passing specialties.
Many times the goal scorers get all the credit and we tend to forget that the assisters are just as important when it comes to scoring. A perfect pass can be way more impressive and require much more class than the goal itself.
This list is accurate and has been made after the end of the 2020 MLS season. With some of these players still being active this list could change completely in just a couple of years. Without further ado, let's check out the top 25 highest assisters in MLS history!
25. Sebastian Giovinco
Sebastian Giovinco made a big impact from his first season playing in the MLS. When he joined the league in 2015, the Italian broke the league's record for most combined goals and assists in a single season. He played in the league for four years before being transfered to Al Hilal.
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Giovinco has put up 68 goals and 42 assists for Toronto FC during his time in the club. He won an MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield with the club while also winning three Canadian Championships in the four years that he played for Toronto.
24. Federico Higuain
Federico Higuain is an active Argentine midfielder who currently plays for Inter Miami with his brother, Gonzalo Higuain. In his prime he was one of the best playmakers that the league has seen and in 2012 he had 13 goal contributions in 13 games.
Higuain has 57 goals and 46 assists in 207 MLS appearances. He was the MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2012 and in 2015 he helped Columbus Crew SC win the Eastern Conference title. When he signed for the club it was for a record US$650,000 at the time.
23. Ronald Cerritos
Ronald Cerritos is a former Salvadoran striker who is the all-time leader in assists for the San Jose Earthquakes. He played the majority of his career in the MLS and in his first year in the league he was named in the MLS Best XI.
Cerritos has 70 goals and 47 assists in 221 MLS appearances. In 2010, he was the first ever player to be inducted into the San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Fame. He made over 60 appearances in the El Salvador national team and participated in a CONCACAF Gold Cup.
22. Lee Nguyen
Lee Nguyen is an active American player who played most of his career in the MLS. He is a very productive midfielder who also adds creativity to his game. In 2014 he had his best season when he was third for the MLS MVP and got to the MLS Cup final.
Nguyen has 55 goals and 59 assists in 256 MLS appearances. He won the Supporters' Shield with Los Angeles FC in 2019 and was an MLS Best XI in 2014. In 2012 he started his MLS career when he was the second overall draft pick in the MLS Waiver Draft.
21. Robert Warzycha
Robert Warzycha is a former Polish player who played the majority of his career in the MLS but also played in Premier League side Everton. He spent seven years in the MLS as a player for the Columbus Crew and then became the head coach for the team for five seasons.
Warzycha has 19 goals and 61 assists in 160 MLS appearances. He won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as a player for the Crew. As a coach, he won two Supporters' Shields and an MLS Cup for the club. When his coaching came to an end he had spent 18 years of his life with Colombus Crew.
20. Richard Mulrooney
Richard Mulrooney is a former American player who played his entire career in the MLS. He played mostly as a midfielder and defender for the San Jose Eartquakes were he spent most of his career. He was the third overall draft pick in the 1999 MLS College Draft.
Mulrooney has 8 goals and 68 assists in 281 MLS appearances. He has won two MLS Cups and the Western Conference Championship with the San Jose Earthquakes. With the Houston Dynamo he won an MLS Cup and a Western Conference Championship.
19. Chris Klein
Chris Klein is a former American player who spent 13 seasons playing in the MLS. He is now the president of LA Galaxy. He played for three different MLS sides (Kansas City Wizards, Real Salt Lake, and Los Angeles Galaxy).
Klein has 49 goals and 69 assists in 333 MLS appearances. For the Kansas City Wizards Klein won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, an MLS Cup, a Supporters' Shield, and two Western Conference Championships. He also won a Supporters' Shield with the LA Galaxy in 2010.
18. Jeff Cunningham
Jeff Cunningham is a former striker who was born in Jamaica but became a U.S. citizen in 2001. He played in the MLS for 13 years and is the league's third all-time leader in regular season goals. He played for five different MLS clubs.
Cunningham has 134 goals and 70 assists in 365 MLS appearances. He is a two-time MLS Golden Boot winner and a three-time MLS Best XI. With the Columbus Crew he won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and an MLS Supporters' Shield. He also won an MLS Western Conference Championship playing for FC Dallas.
17. Jason Kreis
Jason Kreis is a former American player who is now the assistant coach for Inter Miami and the head coach of the United States U-23 team. Before that he was the head coach for two MLS clubs (New York City FC and Real Salt Lake).
Kreis has 108 goals and 74 assists in 305 MLS appearances. He was the MLS MVP in 1999 and is currently a top 10 top goalscorer in league history. At one point in his career he was the all-time top goal scorer in the MLS.
16. Mark Chung
Mark Chung is a former American midfielder who played ten seasons in the MLS. He played in the MLS for four different clubs (Kansas City Wizards, Metrostars, Colorado Rapids, and the San Jose Earthquakes). He also played for the US national team were he scored two goals.
Chung has 65 goals and 76 assists in 310 MLS appearances. He was a first round pick for the Kansas City Wizards in the MLS Inaugural Draft. He was also an MLS Best XI in 1997, 2002, and 2003. Chung played in the 1993 Copa America with the United States squad.
15. Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne De Rosario is a former Canadian player who played as a forward and midfielder. He played for five different MLS clubs (San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls, and D.C. United).
De Rosario has 104 goals and 77 assists in 343 MLS appearances. He has won four MLS Cups, two with the San Jose Earthquakes and two with Houston Dynamo. He also won a Supporters' Shield with San Jose and won the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Canada in 2000.
14. Mauricio Cienfuegos
Mauricio Cienfuegos is a former Salvadoran midfielder who played in the MLS for the majority of his career. He joined Major League Soccer in its inaugural season in 1996. Cienfuegos played for Los Angeles Galaxy for eight years until he retired in 2003.
Cienfuegos has 35 goals and 80 assists in 206 MLS appearances. He was a three-time MLS Best XI and played in seven MLS All-Star games. He also won the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the U.S. Open Cup, and the 2002 MLS Cup with the LA Galaxy.
13. Chris Henderson
Chris Henderson is a former American midfielder who is the current sporting director of Inter Miami CF. When he retired, he was Major League Soccer's all-time leader in games played. He also played 79 games for the United States national team.
Henderson has 51 goals and 80 assists in 317 MLS appearances. He was the Colorado Rapids MVP in his first year with the team and in 2000, he won the MLS Cup with the Kansas City Wizards. Hendo is the Rapids' all-time leader in assists and games played.
12. Javier Morales
Javier Morales is a former Argentine midfielder who is the current academy coach at Inter Miami CF. He came to the MLS in 2007 when he joined Real Salt Lake. In his first game, he got an assist only 40 seconds into his debut, which is also an MLS record.
Morales has 50 goals and 83 assists in 255 MLS appearances. He won an MLS Cup and the Western Conference playoffs with Real Salt lake while also being a two-time MLS All-Star. Morales also carried his team to their first ever MLS Cup appearance.
11. Andy Williams
Andy Williams is a former Jamaican midfielder who played most of his career for Real Salt Lake. He first joined the league in 1998 were he played for the Columbus Crew. Williams was the second player in Real Salt Lake history when he was their first choice in the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft.
Williams has 14 goals and 86 assists in 189 MLS appearances. He won an MLS Cup and the Eastern Conference Championship with Real Salt Lake while also winning an MLS Supporters' Shield and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with the Chicago Fire.
10. Diego Valeri
Diego Valeri is an active Argentine midfielder who captains the Portland Timbers. He is considered as one of the best players to play in the MLS and he carried the Timbers to an MLS Cup win in 2015 which also awarded him the MLS Cup MVP.
Valeri has 84 goals and 88 assists in 233 MLS appearances. He is a three-time MLS Best XI and a four-time MLS All-Star. Valeri also won the 2013 Newcomer of the Year award and the 2017 Landon Donovan MVP Award.
9. Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones is a former American midfielder who is currently an MLS analyst for LA Galaxy. He spent the majority of his career playing for the Galaxy and he is the all-time leader in caps for the United States national team.
Jones has 70 goals and 91 assists in 306 MLS appearances. He won the CONCACAF Champions Cup and two MLS Cups with the Galaxy along with the Supporters' Shield and two U.S. Open Cups. Jones was also part of the MLS 25 Greatest squad.
8. Sacha Kljestan
Sacha Kljestan is an active American player who plays as a midfielder for LA Galaxy. He joined the MLS in 2015 when he was transferred to the New York Red Bulls and won the Supporters' Shield in his first season with the team.
Kljestan has 23 goals and 93 assists in 117 MLS appearances. He won many awards playing for R.S.C Anderlecht like the Belgian Pro League three times and the Belgian Super Cup four times. Kljestan is a two-time MLS Best XI and was part of the 2016 MLS All-Star team.
7. Marco Etcheverry
Marco Etcheverry is a former Bolivian player who played as a forward. He is widely considered as one of the best Bolivian players of all time. Etcheverry spent most of his career in D.C. United were he won many trophies with the club.
Etcheverry has 34 goals and 93 assists in 190 MLS appearances. He won three MLS Cups, two Supporters' Shields, the CONCACAF Champions League, and the U.S. Open Cup with D.C. United while also being a four-time MLS Best XI.
6. Jaime Moreno
Jaime Moreno is a former Bolivian forward who played in the MLS for the majority of his career. He was the all-time leading goal scorer in the MLS when he retired in 2010 and in 2009 he was the first player in MLS history to reach 100 goals and 100 assists.
Moreno has 133 goals and 102 assists in 340 MLS appearances. He won four MLS Cups and four Supporters' Shields with D.C. United along with two Lamar Hunt U.S. Cups and the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
5. Preki
Predrag Radosavlevic, better known as Preki, is a former Serbian-American midfielder. He is the only player to have won two MLS MVP awards and was inducted into the American National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010.
Preki has 79 goals and 112 assists in 242 MLS appearances. He won the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield, and the US Open Cup with the Kansas City Wizards. He is currently the MLS all-time leader in points scored with 270.
4. Carlos Valderrama
Carlos Valderrama is a former Colombian attacking midfielder. He is widely regarded as one of the best Colombian players of all time. He won the South American Footballer of the Year in 1987 and 1993 while also being included in the FIFA 100 list of players.
Valderrama has 16 goals and 114 assists in 177 MLS appearances. He won the MLS Supporters' Shield with the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996 while also being that years' MLS All-Star of the Year and the MLS MVP. He also holds the single-season record for most MLS assists with 26.
3. Brad Davis
Brad Davis is a former American midfielder who played his whole career in the MLS. He was the third pick in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by Metrostars. He has the most appearances in Houston Dynamo history and is a four-time Dynamo team MVP.
Davis has 57 goals and 123 assists in 392 MLS appearances. He won two MLS Cups with the Houston Dynamo and the Supporters' Shield with the San Jose Earthquakes. Davis is a six-time MLS All-Star and was the 2011 MLS Best XI.
2. Steve Ralston
Steve Ralston is a former American midfielder who spent the majority of his career playing in the MLS. He was the league's all-time leader in assists when he retired in 2010 before being overtaken by Landon Donovan.
Ralston has 76 goals and 135 assists in 378 MLS appearances. When he retired, not only did he have the most assists in the league, he also had the record for most appearances, starts, and minutes played in the MLS.
1. Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan is a former American forward who holds a multitude of MLS and United States national team records. The Major League Soccer MVP Award was renamed in his honor to the Landon Donovan MVP Award.
Donovan has 147 goals and 136 assists in 340 MLS appearances. He has the record for most MLS Cups with six and has also won two Supporters' Shields with LA Galaxy along with the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Donovan is also a thirteen-time MLS All-Star and was the MLS MVP in 2009.