The Beautiful Game

Unpacking a slice of the football genome: clubs, players, matches, eras and the stories that connect them.

Downloading the genome…

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The Beautiful GamePublic demo

Where are we going today?

Search players, clubs, matches, eras and stories in this snapshot of the full genome, then follow the connections between them.

Start somewhere unforgettable

Six Degrees of Football

Pick any two players, managers, pundits or referees. The genome traces the shortest chain of clubs, transfers and family ties between them, up to six hops.

How a path works

One hop is one recorded connection: playing for or managing a club, a transfer, or a family tie. A shared club links two people through that club; it does not mean they shared a dressing room, so check the years on each hop. Paths use only connections traced in this snapshot, and disputed records are excluded.

Classic pairings

This year–active players
All time1863 – 2026
18632026