2024-25 Assist Kings: Al Dawsari leads starry band of ballers | OneFootball

Understandably, football's fearsome frontmen get the majority of the plaudits for their ability to find the net, but, for the most part, they wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of able teammates.

The 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League was no different, with a multitude of magicians helping create chances – and, more importantly, goals – for those strikers to hog the headlines.

So, it’s worth taking a moment to celebrate the men who make it possible. Here, we list the lead assist-makers of last season’s Saudi Arabian top flight.

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Salem Al Dawsari – 15

The Al Hilal captain led the way through 2024-25, with a league-best 15.

Not only did it tie the record for most assists in a single RSL season (Al Taawoun’s Kaku in 2022-23 being the other) but, when his corner at Al Taawoun was headed home by Mohammed Kanno, Al Dawsari became the leading assist-maker in RSL history, with 54.

He added five more before the campaign was out, placing him joint-top for goal contributions (30, with Al Ittihad’s Karim Benzema). Deservedly, Al Dawsari reigned supreme as the 2024-25 RSL’s Best Saudi.

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Moussa Diaby – 14

Well, as far as debut season’s go for an attacking midfielder new to the competition - and country - this could not have gone much better.

Diaby arrived at Al Ittihad as a high-profile signing from the English Premier League and took no time to mark his arrival: he registered a startling four assists in Matchweek 3, in the Old Derby demolition of Al Wehda.

In fact, the Frenchman had reached double figures by RSL appearance No.10 before a lengthy injury kept him out for months.

When Diaby returned, again against Al Wehda, he picked up where he left off, with another assist. By the end of the campaign, he had 14 in all – and an RSL winner’s medal to boot.

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Cristian Guanca – 11

It’s crazy to think the Al Shabab playmaker sat on a single assist going into Matchweek 19.

Then he chipped in with two in the 4-1 win at home to Al Khaleej and the floodgates opened: in the eight-round spell up to Matchweek 26, Guanca recorded an astonishing nine assists, a period that saw him, rightfully, named RSL Player of the Month for February.

To his credit, he just so happened to add six goals to his name around that time, too. Ultimately, Guanca’s assists in the 2-2 draw with Al Hilal proved his last: he departed the club earlier this month.

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Sadio Mane – 11

If the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star’s first season in the RSL threw up some strong numbers - 13 goals, eight assists – then his second campaign was even more productive.

Mane’s goal contribution for 2024-25 came in at 25, with the Senegalese great bettering his debut haul in both categories. Indeed, he raced out of the blocks last summer, crafting Al Nassr’s opening goal of the season - to Cristiano Ronaldo, of course - and supplying another assist in Matchweek 2.

By the fifth round, he had five already. After a modest return through the chunk of the campaign, Mane clawed back his creative best in the run-in, assisting four times in seven matches for Al Nassr to snatch third.

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Musab Al Juwayr – 10

Already recognised as one of the country’s principal young talents, the on-loan Al Hilal midfielder enjoyed a breakout season across the capital, at Al Shabab. Al Juwayr was hugely influential in the Riyadh side eventually finishing sixth, contributing 10 assists in all in 2024-25.

Most notably, there were two in the Matchweek 25 thumping of Al Orobah and one each against parent club Al Hilal and RSL champions Al Ittihad.

Once all was said and done, Al Juwayr was named last season’s Best Young Player. The accolade was testament not only to those 10 assists, but an all-round display that saw him win, remarkably, all seven Young Player of the Month awards.

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Riyad Mahrez – 10

Last season’s assist king did not quite hit the heights of his debut campaign in the RSL (13 assists) but, boy, did he have a year to remember.

Mahrez didn’t get off to the fastest start, though, breaking his 2024-25 assist duck only in Matchweek 10. By Matchweek 15, he had just two.

However, a run of assists in four successive matches propelled the Algerian up the charts, while his four in the 5-0 victory against Al Fayha in April underlined his almost-unparalleled creative capabilities.

Throw into the mix that, around that time, Mahrez was starring in Al Ahli’s historic AFC Champions League Elite success – he concluded the tournament with a jaw-dropping nine goals and eight assists – and it’s clear to see why he’s rated one of the RSL’s very best.

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Malcom – 10

Last, but very not least, is another winger who expertly marries the ability to score and tee up teammates.

Like Mahrez, Al Hilal’s Brazilian forward has taken the RSL by storm since joining ahead of the 2023-24 season and, last term, he was again instrumental in an Al Hilal title push.

Aside from his nine goals, Malcom reached double figures in assists, getting off the mark in the fantastic win at Al Ahli in Matchweek 6. He concluded the season on a high personally, at least, supplying four assists in the final five rounds - even if Al Hilal could not quite retain the RSL crown.