diff --git a/fifa17-recon/docs/CARD_SYSTEM.md b/fifa17-recon/docs/CARD_SYSTEM.md
index 13f456d..4a415c6 100644
--- a/fifa17-recon/docs/CARD_SYSTEM.md
+++ b/fifa17-recon/docs/CARD_SYSTEM.md
@@ -2,6 +2,31 @@
 
 Status as of 2026-08-01. All clean-room (our own binaries + running client only).
 
+## ★ SOLVED: real player cards render offline
+
+A full 88-rated real squad (Ronaldo/Messi/Suárez/Ramos/Kroos/…) renders 100%
+offline. The definition FETCH turned out to be unnecessary — FIFA has all player
+identity data locally in `dbdata.dll`. **The CLUB-SEARCH / ADD-PLAYER flow is the
+trigger:** when FIFA displays club-search results (`GET /club?year=..&type=player&
+count=..`, served by our `/club` route), it resolves each item's assetId against
+its own local DB (real name/photo/club/nation) and merges the rating/attributes
+our `/club` item carries, then caches a real record in the CardsDb store
+(`obj+0x160c0`). No `idList` fetch, no leaked data.
+
+**Working recipe:**
+- `utas_server` on `FUT_SQUAD_STEP=s3v0` → `/club` serves the full XI (real asset
+  IDs + our attributes).
+- In FUT: Squads editor → Add Player / player-name **search** → results render as
+  real cards → **add them to slots** → full real squad.
+- Distinction: the squad-EMBED path (`GET /squad/0` itemData) does NOT resolve
+  (generic); only the CLUB-SEARCH/ADD path resolves. So: serve-club + search/add.
+
+Cosmetic-only nit: card short-name label shows a default "BAS" (real full names
+are in the record + Player Details panel) — likely the FUT commonName/knownAs
+field; low priority.
+
+Everything below is the reverse-engineering that led here.
+
 ## Where we are
 
 Offline FIFA 17 Ultimate Team runs end-to-end on our backend: