9 Best Crossers in World Football (2024)

Football has undergone a tactical revolution in recent years, with new systems and roles such as inverted full-backs popularised by managers like Pep Guardiola. Vast data departments are now employed by clubs to try and gain a competitive edge over their opponents by analysing every part of the game. Included in this are set pieces and crossing, with the vast majority of clubs in Europe’s top five leagues appointing specialist coaches for dead-ball situations.

Crossing is a unique skill and requires pinpoint accuracy, often from wide positions. Due to the difficulty of picking out a teammate in the penalty box, players who attempt a lot of crosses during a match fail more than they succeed.

However, when a precise cross is delivered, it is an underappreciated part of the game. Here is a complete guide to the best crossers in world football in 2024, analysing recent performances and statistics over the past year.

Ranking Factors

• Assists – Teeing up a teammate to score a goal from a cross.
• Reputation – The praise a player receives for their crossing ability by pundits and fans alike.
• Successful crosses – A pinpoint delivery doesn’t always result in an assist due to other factors. Statistics on successful crosses show an individual’s overall chance creation compared to other players in the same position.

9

Arda Guler

Real Madrid

Arda Guler was one of the standout young players at Euro 2024, helping Turkey reach the quarter-finals. In five matches, he directly contributed to three goals. One of his two assists was against the Netherlands in the last eight. He was able to shift the ball onto his weaker right foot in the corner of the box before whipping a cross to the back post, where Samet Akaydin headed home. In fact, during the tournament, he completed 1.84 successful crosses per 90, which was better than 91% of his positional peers in Germany.

The Turkish playmaker’s minutes were limited at Real Madrid last season, but he still managed six goals in 10 La Liga appearances. He will be looking to establish himself as a starter in the 2024/25 campaign, hurting the opposition with his creativity and powerful ball striking.

8

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

Since making his first-team debut for Arsenal in November 2019, Bukayo Saka has turned into one of the best wingers in the Premier League. Not only is the England international a significant goal threat, but he is also extremely creative with the ability to deliver crosses into dangerous areas when cutting onto his preferred left foot.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Saka made 1.38 successful crosses per 90, which was just outside the top 10% in the league. As well as this, he created 2.79 chances every game, highlighting his ability to assist others, in addition to the 16 goals he scored for the team.

7

Nico Williams

Athletic Club

Nico Williams formed a deadly partnership with Lamine Yamal for Spain during Euro 2024, as they won all seven of their matches to lift the trophy. In the six matches the jet-heeled winger played at the tournament, he scored twice and registered an assist. His last goal in Germany was against England in the final in Berlin. Throughout the competition, Williams was praised for his ability to create separation from defenders through his electric pace and trickery on the ball.

An underrated facet of Williams’ game is his crossing, especially from wide positions. At Euro 2024, he had 1.82 successful crosses per 90, which was bettered by only 10% of left-wingers at the tournament. Adding in a dangerous crossing ability with his dribbling success meant that the Athletic Club star was extremely difficult to defend against.

6

Pascal Gross

Borussia Dortmund

Pascal Gross made 261 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring 32 goals and registering 52 assists. The versatile German joined the club in 2017 and established himself as a regular starter in the Premier League. This summer, he joined Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of £8m.

Gross is able to create opportunities in central but also wide areas. He racked up 103 chances last season, which was the second most in the Premier League. An elite crossing ability was a key reason for his varied chance creation. Gross made 2.57 successful crosses per 90 last term – a figure that bettered every other midfielder in the English top flight. He is set to be a key player for Dortmund in the 2024/25 campaign, starting as he means to go on with two assists in his first game.

5

Alejandro Grimaldo

Bayer Leverkusen

Alejandro Grimaldo enjoyed an extremely successful season at Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023/24 campaign. At left-wing back, the Spaniard helped propel the club to their first Bundesliga title under the management of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. Throughout the year, Alonso continually praised Grimaldo for his attacking ability, providing the team with an extra creative dimension to dominate opponents:

Grimaldo registered 20 assists in all competitions, owing to Leverkusen’s front-foot approach. He created 2.52 chances per 90, as well as making 1.78 successful crosses every game, putting him in the top 8% for both metrics. The 28-year-old wing-back looks set to stay at Leverkusen and enjoy another season under the emerging coaching talent of Alonso.

4

James Ward-Prowse

West Ham United

James Ward-Prowse is renowned as one of the best set-piece takers in Premier League history. Not only is he a threat from direct free-kicks, but he is also able to deliver pinpoint crosses to his teammates, especially from corners. During the 2023/24 campaign, the 29-year-old registered 12 assists in all competitions in his first season for West Ham, with many of these coming from corners for the likes of Kurt Zouma and Tomas Soucek.

The data supports the conclusion that Ward-Prowse is a deadly crosser. In the Premier League last season, he had 1.92 successful crosses per 90, which outperformed 96% of players in the same position. David Moyes was not alone in describing the former Southampton midfielder’s set-piece delivery as “world class”.

3

Joshua Kimmich

Bayern Munich

Joshua Kimmich is an extremely versatile player who can operate as a defensive midfielder or a right-back. His technical ability and tactical flexibility make him a valuable asset to both Germany and Bayern Munich. Kimmich can operate in tight spaces by playing short and long passes, especially in the first phase of his team’s buildup.

An underrated part of the German’s game is his crossing, which is extremely accurate and results in a significant number of chances. His 2.68 successful crosses per 90 in the Bundesliga was the best in the league. As well as this, he created the most chances per 90 with 2.97. Overall, Kimmich is an accurate passer of the ball who can create opportunities in a variety of different situations, especially from set-pieces and wide crosses.

2

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold has established himself as one of the best crossers in Premier League history. His recent shift to play more of an advanced midfield role for Liverpool is a testament to his unique technical ability on the right-hand side of the pitch. Speaking about Alexander-Arnold’s crossing ability, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy gushed:

Injuries meant that Alexander-Arnold missed 10 Premier League matches last term. He was still able to have a huge impact on the team when he was playing, though. The right-back created 2.67 chances per 90, which was in the top 2% in the league. He also made 2.29 successful crosses, putting him in the top 6%.

1

Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne tops this list as the best crosser in football. Since joining Manchester City in 2015, the Belgian midfielder has become one of the most creative players in Europe’s top five leagues, dominating the game with incisive long-range passing.

One of his standout performances during an injury-riddled season was a decisive cameo against Newcastle in January. He came on with just over 20 minutes to go with his team 2-1 down and rescued City with a goal and an assist to turn the game around.

Over the course of last season, De Bruyne amassed 4.33 chances created per 90, which was only bettered by 2% of players in the same position. The number of successful crosses per 90, 2.57, was the highest in the top flight, though, highlighting his unique skillset, and ability to create chances with his majestic right foot.

Statistics gathered from FotMob and Transfermarkt.