Reliving the Glory: Top 10 Unforgettable Football Legends of 2019 and Their Legacy

As I sit down to reflect on the footballing year of 2019, it feels like peering into a different era. It was the last full calendar year before the world shifted, a final, glorious chapter of unbridled stadium atmospheres and unscripted narratives. Compiling a list of the top ten unforgettable legends from that year isn't just an exercise in nostalgia; it’s an act of preserving a specific footballing ethos. Their legacy, as we’ll see, isn’t frozen in 2019 but has rippled forward, defining the contours of the game we watch today. The reference to a legendary athlete’s consecutive game streak ending, like the PBA MVP’s run of 78 starts mentioned in our knowledge base, reminds us that these icons are human, too. Their records and streaks become part of their mythos, making their eventual pauses or declines moments of collective breath-holding for fans worldwide.

Let’s start with the obvious, the titans whose 2019 was a masterclass in sustained excellence. Lionel Messi claimed his sixth Ballon d’Or that December, and honestly, it felt both inevitable and extraordinary. His numbers were, as usual, cartoonish—51 goals and 22 assists in just 50 appearances for Barcelona. But it was the artistry, the way he dismantled opponents with a drop of the shoulder, that cemented his legend. In the same breath, Cristiano Ronaldo, then at Juventus, adapted his game with a ruthless efficiency, scoring 28 goals and leading Portugal to a Nations League triumph. Their rivalry was the defining axis of the sport, and 2019 was another year where they pushed each other, and the game itself, to ridiculous heights. For me, watching them was less about picking a side and more about appreciating two distinct, perfect blueprints for greatness.

Then we had the midfield maestros who dictated the tempo. Luka Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, may have seen a slight dip, but his intelligence in Real Madrid’s midfield remained peerless. Kevin De Bruyne, returning from injury, was orchestrating Manchester City’s domestic dominance with a wand of a right foot, notching up 16 assists in the Premier League alone. But my personal favorite to watch was Frenkie de Jong. His €75 million move to Barcelona was finalized in 2019, and his performances for Ajax, especially in that magical Champions League run, were a revelation. He moved with a serene, gliding confidence that made the game look simple—a legacy of pure footballing intellect that he’s carried with him since.

The defenders and goalkeepers often get short shrift in these lists, but 2019 had its pillars. Virgil van Dijk was an absolute colossus for Liverpool. He didn’t just defend; he exuded a calming dominance that transformed his entire team, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or voting—a near-unheard-of feat for a defender. Between the posts, Alisson Becker was Liverpool’s final piece of the puzzle, his crucial saves, like the one against Napoli, being worth literal points and trophies. And let’s not forget a young João Cancelo, whose hybrid full-back role at Juventus and later City began redefining the position entirely. These players built the foundation upon which the flashier stars could shine.

But legacy is about more than stats; it’s about moments and cultural impact. Eden Hazard’s final season at Chelsea was a fitting farewell, a series of dazzling dribbles and match-winning performances before his move to Real Madrid. In Italy, a 34-year-old Fabio Quagliarella won the Capocannoniere with 26 goals for Sampdoria, a story of timeless class that resonated deeply. And how could we overlook the emergence of Kylian Mbappé? Already a World Cup winner, 2019 saw him solidify his status as the heir apparent, his blistering pace and cold finishing for PSG hinting at the global superstar he would become. His legacy from that year is one of terrifying potential realized.

Looking back, the legacy of these 2019 legends is multifaceted. For some like Messi and Ronaldo, it was about extending an era of personal dominion. For others like Van Dijk and De Bruyne, it was about proving that specific, specialized excellence could be as valuable as goal-scoring. For the younger generation like Mbappé, it was a statement of arrival. The thread connecting them all is that 2019 served as a crucial inflection point. It was the end of one decade and the gateway to the next, with these players serving as the bridge. Their performances set standards, their moves shifted power dynamics, and their styles influenced a generation of upcoming talent. Like the ending of a significant playing streak, their achievements in that year marked both a culmination and a beginning. Reliving their glory isn’t just about remembering great goals; it’s about understanding the DNA of modern football, which they helped write. Their shadows, for better or worse, are long, and we’re still watching the game in the light they cast.