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The pass before the assist. Player A passes to Player B, who passes to Player C, who scores - Player A gets the pre-assist. It's a way to give credit to players who set up the setup, especially playmakers who create the opening without getting the final ball themselves. Not an official stat but tracked by analytics sites and used to identify creative players.
Xavi's pre-assist numbers at Barcelona were ridiculous. He'd play the pass that let Iniesta play the pass that let Messi score. Without him starting the move, half those goals never happen.
Robbie
Feb 3, 2026
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