Flying Sancho warming up nicely for Euros

Just three days after lifting the DFB Pokal (German Cup), Borussia Dortmund were intent on fulfilling their second major objective of the season on Sunday: a 3-1 away win at Mainz - featuring two Jadon Sancho assists - securing UEFA Champions League football for 2021/22. 

Sancho's first assist was a simple lay-off to Raphael Guerreiro, the Portuguese left-back's excellent finish into the bottom-right corner giving Dortmund the lead.

Just before half-time, the English youngster supplied his second assist and this one was laced with magic. After collecting the ball on the left-hand side of the box, Sancho raced into the area, dribbled between defenders and slipped a perfect pass through to Marco Reus for the German to slot home the visitors' second.

👟 Most assists fr. 2018/19 (#UEFA’s ‘Top 5’ leagues):

47🅰️: Thomas Muller
43🅰️: Lionel Messi
41🅰️: Jadon Sancho
34🅰️: Angel Di Maria
33🅰️: Kevin De Bruyne, Filip Kostic#BVB pic.twitter.com/kCemVEPCXn

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) May 17, 2021

With this brace of assists, the 21-year-old increased his tally to 11 assists this season, reaching 10+ assists for the third consecutive Bundesliga campaign and becoming the first Englishman to register 10 assists in three straight seasons in UEFA's 'Top 5' leagues since David Beckham (four successive seasons between 1997-98 and 2000-01).

From 2018/19, only Thomas Muller (47) and Lionel Messi (43) have laid on more assists than Jadon Sancho (41) in Europe's 'Top 5' leagues. The next best Englishman in this list is Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold with 32 assists.

With less than a month until Euro 2020 starts, Gareth Southgate will be delighted that Sancho is hitting form and the Euros could be the perfect stage for the former Man City academy starlet to showcase his talents to a wider audience.