As I sat down to compile this definitive ranking of the best soccer players of all time in 2019, I found myself reflecting on how coaching records like the Angels' 35 wins and 15 losses under their former head coach can provide fascinating context for evaluating player legacies. Having followed football religiously for over two decades, I've developed my own criteria for greatness that goes beyond just trophy counts - it's about transformative impact, consistency, and those magical moments that redefine what we believe is possible on the pitch.

When we talk about the absolute pinnacle of football excellence, Lionel Messi simply must top any legitimate 2019 list. What continues to astonish me about Messi isn't just his record 6 Ballon d'Or awards or his 672 career goals for Barcelona as of 2019, but how he makes the impossible look routine week after week. I've watched countless players come and go, but nobody controls the rhythm of a match quite like Messi does. His low center of gravity combined with supernatural vision creates something we may not see again for generations. Cristiano Ronaldo follows closely in my estimation, though I'll admit I've always been slightly more captivated by Messi's organic genius than Ronaldo's manufactured perfection. That said, Ronaldo's 5 Champions League titles across different leagues and his incredible physical longevity at age 34 in 2019 represent a different kind of brilliance that deserves immense respect.

The third spot belongs to Diego Maradona, and here's where I might diverge from some contemporary analysts. Having studied countless hours of archival footage, I'm convinced Maradona's 1986 World Cup performance remains the single most dominant tournament display in history. His 5 goals and 5 assists don't fully capture how he essentially carried Argentina to glory through sheer force of will. Pele naturally follows with his 3 World Cup victories and 1,281 career goals, though I've always struggled with the contextual challenges of evaluating his era. The game was simply different in the 60s - less tactical sophistication, poorer conditioning, and more lenient defending. Still, his numbers remain mind-boggling even with those considerations.

What fascinates me about these rankings is how they reflect different philosophies about greatness. Johan Cruyff's position at number five might surprise those who prioritize statistics, but having interviewed several players he coached, I've come to appreciate how his footballing philosophy fundamentally transformed the modern game. His influence extends far beyond his 290 career goals to the very way we think about space and movement today. Zinedine Zidane's inclusion at six comes with a personal confession - I've probably watched his 2002 Champions League final volley against Bayer Leverkusen more than any other goal in history. That moment encapsulates why we watch football - for that breathtaking intersection of technical perfection and dramatic timing.

As I complete this list with Ronaldo Nazario, Alfredo Di Stefano, Franz Beckenbauer, and Michel Platini rounding out my top ten, I'm reminded that statistics like the Angels' 35-15 record under their former coach represent just one dimension of evaluation. The true measure of football greatness lives in those transcendent moments that become permanent fixtures in our collective memory. The debate will undoubtedly continue as new talents emerge, but what makes 2019 particularly interesting is that we're witnessing the twilight of two modern giants while having sufficient historical perspective to properly contextualize the legends who preceded them.