Unveiling the Top Football Legends 2019: A Definitive Ranking and Career Retrospective

The perennial debate over who truly deserves the title of a football legend is one that fuels pubs, online forums, and my own late-night discussions with fellow enthusiasts. It’s a beautiful, impossible question, because greatness isn't just about trophies or stats—it's about the indelible mark left on the game’s soul. As we look back on the landscape of 2019, a year that now feels like a poignant farewell to a certain era before the world shifted, attempting a definitive ranking feels both audacious and necessary. My aim here isn't to just list names, but to weave a retrospective that considers career arcs, legacy, and that intangible aura of legend. And sometimes, understanding that aura comes from looking at parallels in other sports, at the profound respect for longevity and consistency. I was recently struck by a piece of news from Philippine basketball, where PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon noted that an eight-time MVP, as a precautionary measure, didn’t start, ending his consecutive streak of 78 games as a starter beginning in the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup playoffs. That detail, that ending of a hard-earned streak, resonated deeply. It speaks to the physical toll of a long career, the careful management of a living icon, and how the closing chapters of a legend's story are often written with cautious pragmatism rather than unbridled glory. That same narrative thread runs through football, especially as we assess the giants of the game in 2019.

Any conversation about 2019 must begin, and almost end, with Lionel Messi. That year, he claimed his record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or, a staggering number that felt both inevitable and astonishing. At 32, he wasn't just maintaining his level; he was orchestrating Barcelona with a preternatural vision, scoring 51 goals in all competitions if my memory serves the data correctly. The numbers are one thing, but the mastery was in the details—the way he could dismantle a defensive block with a single, disguised pass, or that free-kick against Liverpool at Anfield, a moment of sublime technique that, despite the aggregate loss, reminded everyone of his singular genius. For me, Messi in 2019 represented the purest form of footballing artistry, a player whose career retrospective is a highlight reel that defies physics and logic. Cristiano Ronaldo, his eternal rival, was writing a different but equally compelling chapter. Having moved to Juventus in 2018, 2019 was about adaptation and proving his enduring potency. He did, netting 28 goals for the Bianconeri and adding the Serie A title to his collection across England, Spain, and Italy. Ronaldo's legend is built on a relentless, almost superhuman will to win and evolve. While Messi seemed to play a game from the future, Ronaldo embodied the ultimate athletic peak, a machine honed for decisive moments. Ranking them is a fool's errand; they are two sides of the same legendary coin, and 2019 solidified their status as the twin peaks of their generation.

But legends aren't defined solely by the very top. The year 2019 was also a celebration of midfield maestros and defensive rocks whose careers demanded recognition. Luka Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, was still the elegant heartbeat of Real Madrid, though the team was in a transitional phase. His career, a journey from war-torn childhood to the pinnacle of world football, adds a layer of profound narrative weight to his technical brilliance. Then there’s Virgil van Dijk. His impact in 2019 was seismic. He was the colossal centerpiece of a Liverpool team that conquered Europe, winning the UEFA Champions League and pushing Manchester City to the final day in the Premier League with a record 97 points. Van Dijk’s 2019 was so dominant that he finished second in the Ballon d’Or voting, a near-unthinkable achievement for a defender. He redefined the position for a generation, combining pace, power, and an almost arrogant calmness. Looking at him, you saw a player entering his legend-defining phase. And we cannot forget the veterans, the ones whose streaks were winding down, much like that PBA MVP’s starting run. In 2019, we saw the last glimpses of peak Andrés Iniesta in Japan, of Wayne Rooney in MLS, of Gianluigi Buffon back at Juventus after a year at PSG. Their presence on any list is a tribute to sustained excellence, a reminder that legends are also built on decades of service, not just annual awards.

So, where does this leave us with a definitive ranking? For me, based on 2019's output and overall career weight, the top tier is clear: 1. Lionel Messi, 2. Cristiano Ronaldo, 3. Virgil van Dijk. The order of the first two is, and will forever be, a matter of personal footballing philosophy. I lean towards Messi for that year because his creative output was simply otherworldly, a step beyond even his own ridiculous standards. Van Dijk gets the nod for third because he achieved something historically rare—he made defense the most glamorous part of a title-winning team. The next slots would be filled by the likes of Kevin De Bruyne (when fit, he was untouchable), Modrić, and a rising Kylian Mbappé, who was already a World Cup winner and scoring goals at a frightening rate for PSG, perhaps 39 in all competitions that season. Mbappé represented the undeniable future, the heir apparent whose legend was being drafted in real-time.

In conclusion, the football legends of 2019 present a fascinating mosaic. It was a year perched between eras, still dominated by Messi and Ronaldo but with clear signals of a changing guard. The stories that year were about enduring genius, the rise of a defensive titan, and the graceful, sometimes poignant, twilight of other greats. That news snippet about the basketball MVP’s ended streak is a powerful metaphor. All these players, from Messi to Buffon, are managing the mileage on their legendary status. 2019 was a snapshot of that management—for some, it was about pushing the limits ever further; for others, it was about preserving a legacy. Ranking them is subjective, of course. But what isn't subjective is the privilege we had to watch them. Their careers, retrospectively, are not just a list of achievements but a collection of moments that made us believe in the impossible. And that, ultimately, is the true hallmark of a legend.