Goals get all the glory. And why not, since they win the games. But behind many a clutch score lurks the humble assist. Some are driven off long balls from the back. Some are perfectly weighted passes that carve through the opposition’s defense. Others are simple crosses in front of goal awaiting a tap-in. No matter what their origin, the assist epitomizes a player’s vision and creativity. Below we recognize the most prolific assist-men from the Champions League, as noted by Transfermarkt.

Cristiano Ronaldo

• Assists: 48
• Clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus
• Overview: Yeah, yeah… he’s the top goal-scorer and has the most assists. We all know how awesome Ronaldo is. Snark aside, it is a testament to his skill, longevity and focus that he has tops both stats.

Ryan Giggs

• Assists: 45
• Club: Manchester United
• Overview: Not a lot of goals (only 28), but when it came to delivery, Giggs was the man. And he did it all with one club! That probably deserves some bonus points.

Lionel Messi

• Assists: 45
• Clubs: FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
• Overview: He’s tied with Giggs, but alphabetically he comes later, and he accomplished his numbers with two clubs. Really, is anyone surprised to see him here?

Ángel Di María

• Assists: 42
• Clubs: Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus
• Overview: Ángel Di María is the only player on the all-time list still active in the Champions League, meaning he still might break Ronaldo’s record. 

David Beckham

• Assists: 38
• Clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan
• Overview: As a classic dead-ball specialist, we’re not shocked to see Beckham here. For as many curlers as he put into the net, so many more were put there by teammates grateful for the service.

The Next Five Places

• Luís Figo & Neymar Jr.: both tied with 36 assists.
• Thomas Müller: 34 assists. While also still active with Bayern Munich, he’s not likely to challenge Ronaldo’s record.
• Raúl: 32 assists.
• Xavi & Toni Kroos: both tied with 31 assists.
• Zinédine Zidane & Karim Benzema: both tied with 30 assists.