Breja: Yes, indeed, a football club hiring some guy was absolutely a breakthrough for humanity. I feel it important to stress that that is a completely sensible thing to say. Should anyone voice any disagreement with such a well reasoned argument their post should be deleted immediately.
I don't even think 2009 is a very special year for gaming. I usually think of 1998 as one of the greatest years - Thief, Half-Life, Baldur's Gate, Ocarina of Time, Might and Magic 6, Resident Evil 2..
There's also 2004-05 with sluggers like Half-Life 2, Bloodlines, Halo 2, Resident Evil 4, Shadow of the Colossus, Battlefield 2, FEAR, Far Cry, Silent Hill 4, Timesplitters, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory..
But I also disagree with the Ronaldo thing. The greatest breakthrough for humanity was Leeds United hiring Marcelo Bielsa as coach in 2018. That was bigger than the invention of the combustion engine.