Defending against fakes, how to tell if a shirt is original

If you love football shirts, you buy them original. Perhaps some people will consider this sentence a little bit exagerate, but buying fakes really isn't good for anyone or anything. First of all, it's bad for your wallet, because there are often fakes that cost over €50, and you can certainly find something original for that money. It's bad for the market and bad for yourself, with fabrics that very often irritate the skin or shirts that last only two washes and then fade or take on more strange colors.

But how can you tell today, among thousands of online and offline retailers, when a shirt is fake? 

Even to the most experienced collectors can happen to buy jerseys that are not original, and fakes are becoming increasingly well made and difficult to recognize. So let's find out what to look for, from the most "simple" aspects to some tricks, to immediately notice if a football jersey is fake. Obviously, there are places, one of all the official stores of the clubs, where you can easily buy. For everything else, a check following these steps never hurts.

Step 1: Always look at as many pictures as possible of the shirt you are going to buy.

The first step to understanding if a shirt is fake or not is to know, as best as possible, the model you are going to buy. It is, therefore, appropriate to look for as many photos as possible of the shirt to ensure some very important aspects.

1. Position and characteristics of the logos (orientation, colors, any small details)

2. Any details on the collar and sleeves (special colors, any writing) 

3.Any details inside the collar 

When in further doubt, it is also helpful to look at the photos that are shared for the launch of the shirt. Paying attention to smaller details, you can often easily tell if it's a non-original product.

Step 2: Check the style and font used for the number

Very often fakes are visible because they use a different font for the player's name and number than the original. A sometimes subtle difference that can mislead a less careful observer.  If you are buying a shirt with the "nameset" (name and number of the player) you have to pay attention to every little feature. In addition to the type of font used, it is good to check if inside the numbers there are small team logos and in what position. Again, it is good to look at some pictures of the jerseys used by the players to remove any doubt. Lately, the various leagues, including Serie A, have decided on a unique font, which definitely makes it easier to check. It's not so simple when it comes to vintage jerseys, though, and it's always a good idea to spend a few minutes on search engines looking for images from that specific year, checking the fonts and the details of the numbers.

Step 3: The fabulous world of internal (and not) product code labels.

Those who are not experts think that a check can be done by looking at the label or print present on the inside part of the neck, rookie´s mistake. There are many fakes that reproduce perfectly even those, then the attention is moved to the internal labels present (depending on the brand) in various points. These labels have a numerical code, the product code, which is essential information to understand the originality or otherwise of the shirt.

Check an internal Nike product code label

Nike jerseys, for several years now, have a crucial piece of information to understand the originality of the jersey right on an internal label on the left side. Analyzing a Nike jersey you will notice that it has a main label behind which there is a smaller, almost rectangular label: this tiny label is the key to everything. Just on this magic rectangle of fabric, there are two numerical codes, the one that interests us is the one placed lower, usually formed by 6 or 8 digits. Now what? Once you have this code just go to any search engine and type "Nike" followed by the code that we have on the label (For example "Nike 12345678"), click on "images" and see what comes out. If the jersey is original the images that will come out is the jersey we have in our hands, same team, same design. If the jersey is fake the jerseys that come out will be those of other teams, which have nothing to do with our jersey. Easy, isn´it?

Check an internal Adidas product code label

As with Nike, Adidas jerseys also have a label with the product code, and the process is very similar. The only difference is that some Adidas jerseys, especially the most recent ones, have this internal label not on the left side but near the left shoulder.

Check a Puma's product code label

The current Puma jerseys actually have the product code in plain sight on the lower right side of the uniform on a small black box. A choice that therefore makes control even easier and faster.

What about the other brands?

Luckly, most of the fake products are mainly related to the top clubs that, mainly, dress the top brands seen above. Obviously, it is always good to do a thorough check even if you are buying a jersey of a different team/brand. In this case, it is also easier, and advisable, to buy the uniform in question directly from the site or store of the technical sponsor. Remember than brands always have websites, and several physical stores, where to buy in complete safety.

With these simple tips you will already be able to recognize the originality or not of the store jerseys and avoid buying fakes, Better to spend a few minutes more and show off a new, beautiful, stunning and above all original football shirt!