One question tickles the statistical mind: who holds the record for the most assists in PSV history? In this article, BKKGoal will dive deep into the data, uncover legends of playmaking, and bring you breakdowns, context, and surprises you may not expect.
The meaning of “assists” at PSV: interpreting the numbers
Before naming the record-holder, it’s worth recalling that “assist” is a statistic prone to ambiguity. The definition can vary across competitions, eras, and data providers. Moreover, clubs often distinguish between assists in all competitions vs. league-only vs. European matches.
Thankfully, PSV has a dedicated statistical archive tracking assists across all seasons. That provides our most robust basis for comparing players across generations. Based on that dataset, we can identify both the outright record and the top contenders who shaped PSV’s identity with their creativity.
PSV’s all-time assist kings: rankings and context
According to PSV’s historical data, the top names in terms of raw assists for the club are:
| Rank | Player | Total Assists (all comps) |
| 1 | Willy van der Kuijlen | 142 assists |
| 2 | Gerald Vanenburg | 103 assists |
| 3 | René van de Kerkhof | 100 assists |
These figures reflect contributions across domestic league, cups, European matches, and other official competitions. (Data.)
So: the player with the most assists in PSV history is Willy van der Kuijlen, with 142 assists across his PSV career.
Who was Willy van der Kuijlen?
Willy van der Kuijlen is a PSV legend. He played primarily in the 1960s and 1970s, and remains one of the club’s greatest ever offensive architects. His assist tally of 142 is not just a number — it’s a statement of consistency, vision, and longevity.
Van der Kuijlen didn’t always play as a pure attacking midfielder or winger; often he drifted between forward lines and dee, and his assist record shows how central he was to PSV’s attacks.
The challengers: Vanenburg, van de Kerkhof & more
Gerald Vanenburg, in second place with 103 assists, was another creative force. He combined dribbling, precise passing, and work ethic. His contribution stands out in a generation that produced many stars in PSV’s midfield and wings.
René van de Kerkhof rounds out the top 3 with 100 assists. He was an essential wide player, often delivering crosses and through passes to forwards.
Other notable names beyond the top three:
- Willy van de Kerkhof: though his total is slightly lower, his influence in domestic and European matches was immense.
- Luuk de Jong: the striker/forward contributed 84 assists in his PSV spells, a remarkable number for someone often leading the line.
- Harrie Lubse and Luc Nilis also sit high in the list, with 76 and 73 assists respectively.
These names show the diversity of roles: playmakers, wingers, forwards all contributed to buildup and goal creation.
Assists in European competitions: a narrower lens
If we limit ourselves to UEFA competitions, the leaderboard shifts. In the Champions League alone, the assist leaders for PSV are:
- Luuk de Jong – 3 assists
- Malik Tillman – 3 assists
- Joey Veerman – 3 assists
This reflects how fewer matches and higher competition levels compress the assist numbers compared to domestic play.
Meanwhile, in the Europa League, PSV’s top assist performers include Dries Mertens, Balázs Dzsudzsak, and Cody Gakpo, each with 5 assists in that competition.
Hence, while van der Kuijlen dominates the club-wide record, in European contests recent stars also make their mark.
Why van der Kuijlen’s record endures
142 assists is not just the top slot — it’s a figure that has proven remarkably durable. Why hasn’t any modern PSV star overtaken him yet? A few factors:
- Longevity and loyalty: Van der Kuijlen spent the bulk of his career at PSV, giving him volume of games to build up assists.
- Role diversity: He operated across attacking zones, able to score and assist. Modern specialists often have narrower roles.
- Era differences: In earlier decades, statistics were less fragmented, and creative play often centered around a few players. Modern squads rotate more.
- Competitive balance: Today’s defenses, tactical sophistication, and opponent quality make consistent assist tallies harder.
Even the greats of modern PSV (for example, Luuk de Jong) although immensely prolific in goals, still fall short in assists compared to van der Kuijlen’s benchmark.
Top 10 players by assist for PSV
Here’s a broader glance at the top 10 assist providers in PSV history:
- Willy van der Kuijlen — 142
- Gerald Vanenburg — 103
- René van de Kerkhof — 100
- Willy van de Kerkhof — 86
- Luuk de Jong — 84
- Harrie Lubse — 76
- Luc Nilis — 73
- Toon Brusselers — 59
- Bent Schmidt-Hansen — 59
- Wim Kieft — 59
These numbers reflect the cumulative impact of playmakers, wingers, and forwards across eras. Notice that a mix of generational styles and positional roles feed into this ranking.
Modern contenders and rising stars
While van der Kuijlen’s record seems stable, modern PSV squads have several players whose assist output suggests they could challenge in time:
- Joey Veerman: already well-established as a creative midfield presence.
- Xavi Simons, whose dribbling and passing hold promise, though he’s still young relative to all-time longevity.
- Malik Tillman, when fit, has shown he can deliver in big matches.
- Balázs Dzsudzsak: in his time at PSV, he was already one of the more dangerous wide players and features on European assist charts.
However, catching van der Kuijlen’s 142-assist mark will require a long, consistent run of high-level output over many seasons.
Significance for fans, analysts, and history
For PSV fans and football statisticians alike, the search for the most assists in PSV history is more than trivia. It highlights:
- The identity of playmakers: who made the team tick behind the goals.
- Club legacy: van der Kuijlen’s name now anchors PSV’s attacking tradition.
- Perspective across eras: comparing old and new, and how roles have changed.
- Benchmarking current stars: new talents will always be measured against these legends.
Fans often debate “greatest ever” across goals, assists, trophies. Assist records are vital in ensuring creators receive their share of recognition beside strikers.
Conclusion
Willy van der Kuijlen holds the crown for most assists in PSV history, with a staggering 142 across all competitions. That number stands as a monument in Eindhoven’s tapestry of goals, tactics, and legends. Future talents like Joey Veerman, Xavi Simons, or Malik Tillman may inch toward it — but for now, van der Kuijlen’s legacy as the ultimate provider remains unshaken.
Below, BKKGoal invites you to explore related stories: who leads in assists for Ajax or Feyenoord, PSV’s season-by-season assist charts, or profiles of the top creative players at the club. If you want a deep dive on any specific player or era, just let me know!
