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In the FIFA Mexico 1986 World Cup technical report, it is said that up to two players may receive assist points if their passes were decisive to scoring a goal.

In most top level leagues, the assist is only rewarded to the last pass to the goalscorer. Secondary assists are sometimes tracked as "chances created" or "decisive passes".

Are there any leagues where up to two assists are counted with the goal?

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  • As far as I recall, up to two players get assist credit for the same goal, if both players meet the criteria to do so, in any FIFA competition. There may have been another big tournament that did so (UCL?) but I haven't been able to confirm it.
    – Nij
    Commented Jun 8, 2016 at 2:40
  • Bit of an aside, but I'd say 'assists' and certainly counting them, are a very recent phenomenon in football, only really mentioned in the last couple of years AFAIK (outside of FIFA technical reports anyway). Perhaps on the back of 'Moneyball' ideas making their way into the game?
    – Ted
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 9:53
  • Obviously, the one notable assist in 1986 was from God though... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina_v_England_(1986_FIFA_World_Cup)
    – Ted
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 9:54

2 Answers 2

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I didn't found any data from FIFA Technical Study Group, this Wikipedia Link states:

Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions. Recording assists is not part of the official Laws of the Game and the criteria for an assist to be awarded may vary.

But NCAA Official Soccer Statistics Rules section 5 article 1 states:

Article 1. A player is credited with an assist when he makes, in the opinion of the statistician, a pass contributing directly to a goal. Not more than two assists may be credited on any one scoring play. Each assist shall count one point in the player’s statistical record.

If a scoring play consists of two consecutive passes without a defender gaining control of the ball, two assists may be awarded, provided the second player does not have to elude a defender to make the final pass. Both passes must have a direct influence on the outcome of a goal scored. If the second player needs to elude a defender before passing to the goal-scorer, credit only that assist.

Link to NCAA Soccer Statisticians' Manual

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According to the FIFA guidelines, only the player that has passed the ball to the player that scores a goal is given the assist. No other player is given the credit for the goal scored.

I have no idea about the leagues outside of FIFA so i cant say for those leagues, but each and every league governed by FIFA have this rule.

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  • 3
    Could you provide a source for this?
    – Philip Kendall
    Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 12:49

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