Research & references

Sources behind the ratings.

Legends Database is built from years of reading, watching and cross-checking. These are the principal publications, archives and research communities used to shape player profiles and editorial assessments.

17Print titles
14Digital & audiovisual
7Publishing countries

Source collection

Press & periodicals

Contemporary reporting, specialist magazines and historical print archives.

17
ItalyDaily

La Gazzetta dello Sport

Historical archive

Used forContemporary reporting
ItalyDaily

Corriere dello Sport

Historical archive

Used forContemporary reporting
ItalyWeekly

Guerin Sportivo

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
ItalyMonthly

Calcio 2000

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
ItalyWeekly

SuperGol

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
ItalyWeekly

Intrepido

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
ItalyClub magazine

Hurrà Juventus

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
EnglandWeekly

Shoot!

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
EnglandWeekly

Match!

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
EnglandMonthly

World Soccer

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
EnglandMonthly

FourFourTwo

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
EnglandMonthly

When Saturday Comes

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
ArgentinaWeekly

El Gráfico

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
BrazilWeekly

Placar

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
SpainWeekly

Don Balón

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
FranceWeekly

France Football

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting
GermanyWeekly

Kicker

Print publication and contemporary football coverage.

Used forContemporary reporting

Source collection

Footage & broadcasts

Full matches, television coverage and restored audiovisual material.

4
Private archiveFootage

VHS Recordings

Historical matches and highlights from the 1970s through the 1990s.

Used forDirect observation
Private archiveFootage

DVD Collections

World Cups, club competitions and player retrospectives.

Used forMatch analysis
Broadcast archiveTelevision

Original TV Broadcasts

RAI, BBC and other international network broadcasts.

Used forHistorical context
Digital platformVideo

YouTube

Archival matches, highlights and restored historical footage.

Used forVisual cross-checking

Source collection

Data & archives

Statistical repositories and documentary records used for verification.

4
Active resourceStatistics

RSSSF

Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.

Used forHistorical records
Active resourceDatabase

Transfermarkt

Career data, transfer history and club statistics.

Used forCareer verification
Research categoryPress archive

Digital Newspaper Archives

Scanned historical publications and press collections.

Used forContemporary evidence
Research categoryDatabase

Online Football Databases

Statistical repositories and historical football records.

Used forData cross-checking

Source collection

Specialist & community research

Independent profiles, historical ratings and informed football discussion.

6
Active resourceResearch

Dx84tech.com

Twin site for parallel research and data cross-reference.

Used forIndependent verification
Specialist archiveProfiles

PES Miti del Calcio

Historical ratings, player profiles and community research.

Used forProfile comparison
Archived resourceHistorical

PES Stats Database

Historical player ratings and attributes from the former database.

Used forRating comparison
Community archiveDiscussion

ForumCalcio

Italian football debates and historical player discussions.

Used forExpert perspectives
Active resourceProfiles

xtraimmortal.blogspot.com

Specialist all-time profiles, rankings and historical notes.

Used forProfile comparison
Archived researchCommunity

Historical Web Forums

Community-driven football archives from the early 2000s web.

Used forHistorical discussion

Editorial methodology

No single source is definitive.

Ratings are editorial in nature: a synthesis of research, informed opinion, historical data and direct observation of archival footage.

01

Collect

Gather contemporary reporting, match footage, statistical records and specialist research.

02

Cross-check

Compare conflicting evidence across independent references and different historical perspectives.

03

Synthesise

Form an editorial assessment focused on peak performance rather than a simple career average.