The Corinthian ProStars World Club Legends series was a hugely popular release, proven by the range's longevity, with the series having it's first figure released in May 2000 and the final ones in July 2008. In total there are 49 World Club Legends figures and a series which gave collectors many first and only time sculpts, along with many collectable pieces.
The innaugural figures in this series were released in May 2000, with 2 figures from 'The old lady' chosen, those being the 'Divine Ponytail' himself, Roberto Baggio and Michel Platini, both released in Juventus Home kit. Both proved immensely popular upon release, especially with collectors based in Far Eastern countries.
Collectors had to wait until January 2001 to get their hands on more World Club Legends ProStars, this time 4 being released, again from clubs in the Italian Serie A, with the focus on the fashion capital of the world, Milan. 3 from AC Milan and 1 from Internazinale, more commonly known as Inter Milan. The 3 from AC Milan was their deadly Dutch trio of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco Van Basten, all in home kit, with Lotham Matthaus in Inter Milan home kit. A superb quartet of figures and ones which remain very collectable and sought after.
April 2001 saw Ian Rush in Liverpool away kit added to this range and was a quick sell out, again with his figure being in high demand in countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, where Liverpool have a huge fan base. July of that year saw another 11 added to the range, which were all from the 1960's. Manchester United were represented by legends Denis Law and Bobby Charlton, with Bobby's brother Jack Charlton released in Leeds United home kit. West Ham United had a formidable trio of figures released, Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst. Liverpool has legendary manager Billy Shankly and Roger Hunt released, with 'the Cat' Peter Bonetti in Chelsea home kit. Completing the line up players representing both halves of Glasgow, Billy McNeil for Celtic and John Greig for Rangers. All 11 figures were also released as Platinum blister packs. It is worth mentioning that those 11 figures were also released insdide the 'Legends of the 60's' box set, which also featured George Best in Manchester United Away kit, however Best was exclusive to that box set and not released as a single blister pack.
4 Barcelona figures were added to this series in November 2001, a superb line up consiting of Brazilian strikers Ronaldo and Romario in home kit, the Ronaldo was an all new sculpt! Also in Barca home kit was Michael Laudrup, with Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov being released in Away kit. The Stoichkov is a personal favourite of mine, a superb figure of a very talented player, and was for a long time the only release of the Bulgarian, until the ProStars Elite range. All 4 Barcelona World Club Legends were also released as Platinum blister packs.
May 2002 saw 2 more figures added to the series, those being Welshman Mark Hughes in Chelsea away kit and Manchester united away kit. Both of these were very well received by collectors and proved difficult to acquire after their initial release. Roberto Baggio in Brescia home kit was released in May 2003 and the Corinthian Convention, with Dino Zoff in Juventus kit added to the range in September of that year.
There was a lengthy gap until the next wave of ProStars World Club Legends were released, collectors had to wait until November 2004 to add another 4 to their collection. Ronald Koeman was sculpted again and released in Barcelona Away kit, with Serie A represented by Franco Baresi in AC Milan home kit and Faustino Asprilla in Parma home kit, and Spurs legend Steve Archibald released in the famous White kit of Tottenham Hotspur. The Asprilla is a superb figure and like the Stoichkov in this range, is a personal favourite of mine.
March 2005 was the release date for the next set of 4 WCL, with Pat Jennings coming out in Spurs home kit, Lothar Matthaus in Inter Milan away kit, Trevor Fancis for Sampdoria and Gheorghe Hagi in Barcelona home kit. Produced in low numbers, these figures quickly sold out.
August 2005 saw 4 more added to the WCL series, 2 from the English Premier League and 2 from Italy's Serie A. Ray Wilkins for Manchester United and Peter Withe for Aston Villa repesented the premier league, both in home kit, while Serie A was represented by Ciro Ferrara in Juventus home kit and Alexi Lalas in Padova home kit. The figure of Lalas was the only one ever released for Italian club Padova.
In January of 2007, a further 5 figures were added to the ProStars World Club Legends series, with Claudio Gentile in Juventus home kit being the only one not from the English premier league. Gunners legend Michael thomas was released in Arsenal away kit, with the other half of North London represented by Argentine Ossie Ardilles in Tottenham Hotspur home kit. Andy Gray was at last released, in Everton home kit, with Remi Moses in Manchester United home kit completing the set. All 5 were also released as Platinum blister packs.
The 2008 Corinthian Convention saw the last figures released as part of the World Club Legends series, with 6 figures released. This release heavily favoured Italy's Serie A, with Thierry Henry in Arsenal home kit the only figure from the English premier league. The cities of Milan and Rome were once again represented, with Roberto Donadoni for the red half of Milan, and Andres Brehme for the Blue half, in AC Milan and Inter Milan home kits respectively. AS Roma had Bruno Conti in home kit, while Lazio both Jaap Stam and fiery Italian Paolo Di Canio in home kit released. All 6 were released as Platinum blister packs.
A superb set of figures with some fantastic sculpts and a range which clearly had a lot of thought and discussion put into it, with each figure being carefully selected.
Roberto Baggio
Juventus
Home
PRO301
Frank Rijkaard
AC Milan
Home
PRO387
Michel Platini
Juventus
Home
PRO302
Ruud Gullit
AC Milan
Home
PRO386
Marco Van Basten
AC Milan
Home
PRO388
Lothar Matthaus
Inter Milan
Home
PRO389
Bobby Charlton
Manchester United
Home
PRO443
Denis Law
Manchester United
Home
PRO442
Martin Peters
West Ham United
Home
PRO444
Geoff Hurst
West Ham United
Home
PRO445
John Greig
Rangers
Home
PRO449
Peter Bonetti
Chelsea
Home
PRO447
Billy McNeil
Celtic
Home
PRO448
Bill Shankly
Liverpool
Suit
PRO446
Jack Charlton
Leeds United
Home
PRO450
Roger Hunt
Liverpool
Home
PRO452
Ronaldo
Barcelona
Home
PRO483
Ian Rush
Liverpool
Away
PRO454
Hristo Stoichkov
Barcelona
Away
PRO484
Bobby Moore
West Ham United
Home
PRO451
Mark Hughes
Chelsea
Away
PRO601
Mark Hughes
Manchester United
Away
PRO602
Michael Laudrup
Barcelona
Home
PRO486
Roberto Baggio
Brescia
Home
PRO823
Romario
Barcelona
Home
PRO485
Franco Baresi
AC Milan
Home
PRO1042
Faustino Asprilla
Parma
Home
PRO1043
Steve Archibald
Tottenham Hotspur
Home
PRO1041
Ronald Koeman
Barcelona
Away
PRO1040
Dino Zoff
Juventus
Home
PRO858
Lothar Matthaus
Inter Milan
Away
PRO1121
Gheorghe Hagi
Barcelona
Home
PRO1119
Trevor Francis
Sampdoria
Home
PRO1120
Ciro Ferrara
Juventus
Home
PRO1223
Pat Jennings
Tottenham Hotspur
Home
PRO1118
Peter Withe
Aston Villa
Home
PRO1226
Ray Wilkins
Manchester United
Home
PRO1225
Ossie Ardiles
Tottenham Hotspur
Home
PRO1541
Andy Gray
Everton
Home
PRO1542
Alexi Lalas
Padova
Home
PRO1224
Roberto Donadoni
AC Milan
Home
PRO1766
Michael Thomas
Arsenal
Away
PRO1544
Claudio Gentile
Juventus
Home
PRO1567
Jaap Stam
Lazio
Home
PRO1767
Remi Moses
Manchester United
Home
PRO1543
Paolo Di Canio
Lazio
Home
PRO1771
Thierry Heny
Arsenal
Home
PRO1770
Bruno Conte
AS Roma
Home
PRO1769
Andreas Brehme
Inter Milan
Home
PRO1768