We've all seen them. The badge that looks slightly wonky. The sponsor logo that feels like it was ironed on in someone's kitchen. The 'authentic' shirt that somehow costs less than your Friday night takeaway. So how can you spot a fake before it ends up in your wardrobe? Well, here are a few quick checks:
The badge test
Official shirts have clean stitching and sharp details. If the badge looks blurry, uneven, or poorly stitched — alarm bells should be ringing. Remember, people who make fake shirts are all about mass production, so the attention to detail on the shirts is usually very minimal.
The stitching of 'football club' isn't straight and the letters are not evenly spaced. The badge on this fake shirt is also not in the centre of the stripe on the shirt.
The feel
Authentic shirts feel durable, properly stitched and consistent in weight and texture. Fakes often feel thin, shiny, or stiff. If it feels “off,” it probably is.
Labels and product codes
Most authentic shirts have a product code label that matches the code on the brand's website. If there's no code (or it doesn't match), be cautious.
On most Adidas Shirts, you can find the authentication tag on the inside of the collar
The price
We get it, everyone wants a bargain. But if the price seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Here at Football Finery, we're passionate about authentic football culture and quality shirts you can trust. Our shirts go through rigorous in-house checks by our trusted team and, if needed, verified by our friends on social media and at KitLegit.
Stay sharp. Stay stylish. And keep the game authentic.
P.S. Think you know someone who almost bought a "Ronlado" shirt once? You might want to forward them this blog post.