2026-01-04 09:00

As I sit down to reflect on the whirlwind that was the 2019 season for our football legends, a wave of nostalgia hits me. It wasn't just another year; it was a tapestry woven with threads of sheer brilliance, heartbreaking near-misses, and moments that redefined what we thought was possible on the pitch. Reliving that glory isn't just about watching old highlights; it's about feeling that collective gasp of a stadium, the tension in a silent room before a penalty, the unbridled joy of a last-minute winner. This was the year where legacies were cemented and new chapters were violently scribbled into the history books. For me, 2019 stands as a pinnacle, a season so densely packed with magic that picking just ten moments feels almost like a disservice to the rest. But here we are, diving back into the memories that, for fans like you and me, are truly unforgettable.

Let’s start with a moment that perfectly encapsulates the drama and the physical toll of a legend's twilight. I’m talking about Cristiano Ronaldo’s audacious, gravity-defying header for Juventus against Sampdoria. He was 34 at the time. Thirty-four! And he hung in the air for what felt like an eternity, a monument to his insane athleticism and relentless drive. I remember watching it live and just laughing in disbelief. It was a statement. But 2019 also gave us the poignant counterpoint to such physical dominance. It reminds me of a situation from another sport, basketball, that mirrors the careful management these global icons require. I recall reading about a legendary eight-time MVP in the Philippine Basketball Association who, as a precautionary measure, didn’t start a game, ending his consecutive streak of 78 games as a starter beginning in the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup playoffs, according to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon. That strategic rest, that breaking of a streak for the greater good, is something we saw echoes of in football. Managing a legend’s minutes, protecting their body for the crucial battles, became a narrative in itself. Seeing Lionel Messi being selectively rested by Barcelona, for instance, wasn't a sign of decline in 2019; it was a chess move. It allowed him to be absolutely devastating when he did play, which leads me directly to his masterclass against Liverpool at Anfield. Sure, Barcelona ultimately collapsed in the return leg—a moment so painful it almost shouldn't be on this list, but its sheer shock value earns it a spot—but Messi’s free-kick in the first leg was sorcery. Pure, unadulterated sorcery. The ball didn’t just bend; it disobeyed physics. That was Messi in 2019: a player operating on a different plane, winning his sixth Ballon d’Or and essentially saying, "I'm not done yet."

The Champions League that year was a treasure trove of legendary moments. Liverpool’s comeback against Barcelona, overcoming a 3-0 deficit, is arguably the greatest in the competition's history. The energy at Anfield that night was a tangible force, transmitted through screens across the world. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s "corner taken quickly" to Divock Origi wasn’t just smart; it was borderline genius, a moment of such quick-thinking that it left an entire football institution stunned. I have a soft spot for moments that break the conventional script, and that was a masterstroke. Then, in the final, you had the quiet assurance of Virgil van Dijk marshaling the defense, a performance so dominant it felt like he had won the Ballon d’Or that very night. He didn’t, but he should have, in my completely biased opinion. His impact transformed Liverpool from thrilling contenders to immovable champions. On the international stage, the UEFA Nations League gave us a gem: Portugal lifting the trophy on home soil, with Ronaldo securing yet another international honor. The image of him holding that trophy, surrounded by a new generation led by Bernardo Silva and João Félix, felt like a passing of the torch, albeit with the king still very much on the throne.

But legends aren't just about winning; they're about enduring impact. I think of Sergio Agüero’s last-gasp winner against QPR in 2012, a moment eternally re-lived, but in 2019, his consistency for Manchester City as they clinched a domestic treble was its own kind of legendary feat. Or what about Zlatan Ibrahimović, then with the LA Galaxy, scoring a hat-trick in his first-ever MLS derby against LAFC? At 37, he pointed to the sky and declared himself a lion. You couldn't script it. That's Zlatan. And how can we forget the rise of a new legend? Erling Haaland’s Champions League debut for Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored a hat-trick against Genk, was our first real, jaw-dropping look at the phenomenon. He announced himself to the world with the subtlety of a thunderclap. The numbers were stupid—like, video-game stupid. He scored something like 8 goals in his first 5 UCL games? It might not be perfectly precise, but the sentiment is: a hurricane had arrived.

So, what does all this mean when we look back? For me, 2019 was a year of duality. It was the year we celebrated the sustained, almost superhuman excellence of Messi and Ronaldo, while simultaneously witnessing the strategic pauses that hinted at their mortality. It was the year of epic collective triumphs, like Liverpool's Champions League win, and stunning individual announcements, like Haaland's. These moments are frozen in time, not just as clips, but as emotional bookmarks. They remind us why we love this game: for the drama, the artistry, the tactical nuances, and the raw, human stories of perseverance. Reliving the glory of 2019 isn't a passive act; it's a reminder that football's golden ages are built on these very flashes of brilliance, these unforgettable moments where legends walk among us, if only for 90 minutes at a time. And honestly, I feel privileged to have witnessed it.