How to Check if a Football Shirt is Genuine

When you’re in the business of collecting and growing your football shirt collection, it can be easy to become tempted by incredibly low prices, together with the opportunity to bag a rare jersey for a decent price. But in this case, it’s far more likely that you’ll receive a football shirt that is considered to be a fake. Bogus football shirts are becoming increasingly more convincing, so it’s important that you know how to spot the signs of a fake football jersey. Here’s how to check effectively:

It was far cheaper than its actual RRP

This is something you should pay attention to, especially when considering buying a football shirt online, as you can’t actually see it in the flesh. If the price of a football shirt seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Make sure you do some comparison online. See what major retailers are selling the same shirt for and try and secure a great deal in and around that price, if you don’t want to pay the full whack. It might be that the shirt you’re looking at goes on sale, so keep an eye out if you’re on a budget. Either way, don’t be tempted by low prices because the shirt you receive will, most likely, be a fake.

The quality is inferior when compared to genuine football shirts

A genuine football shirt will have a wide range of high-quality detailing on it, so if the football jersey you have received is lacking this, then it’s likely to be bogus. The quality of a real football shirt simply cannot be replicated, so you might notice that any embroidery is loose or messy, the fabric will feel inferior to genuine shirts and you’re likely to experience some sizing issues or problems with the overall fit. 

You should also look at the logos on the shirt, do they look as though they have been created with the utmost precision and care? If not, you probably have a fake football jersey on your hands. Essentially, a real football shirt will be of the highest possible quality, so if it’s not, there’s a high possibility that you’ve been sent a fake.

You’ve purchased it from a website that doesn’t look legitimate

You should only purchase football shirts from legitimate websites and companies. Before you make your purchase, make sure you do your research. What are their reviews like? Previous customer opinions and experiences will help to give you an idea of how legitimate the website really is and whether or not they actually provide genuine football shirts. 

Google, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms is a good place to start as it can add reputability as well. If the reviews or ratings online are negative, then it’s likely that that particular place is giving out fake football shirts, so avoid those websites at all costs. If you want to acquire a genuine football shirt, then look at the big retailers or choose an independent firm with a passion for quality football jerseys, such as us here at Mystery Jersey King. 

The seams are messy

We’ve already touched on the quality of the football shirts, but you need to pay particular attention to the seams. The seams are where one piece of fabric joins another to create a single garment. If the seams and stitching is messy, or if it appears to be loose, then there’s a high probability that the shirt is fake. A genuine football shirt will be neatly, and tightly,  stitched together with strong thread to create a football jersey that is of the highest possible quality. 

There’s an obvious mistake on it somewhere

No matter what it might be, fake products that are trying to pass for the genuine article will have mistakes plastered all over them. Some products might have more mistakes on it than others, but a fake football shirt will have a faux pas on it somewhere, whether it be within the logo or a simple spelling mistake. The mistake might even be more obvious than that. If you have a football shirt with an Adidas label in it, but with a Nike logo on it, then it’s definitely a bogus football shirt.

The labels have pen on them or there is a complete lack of labels

If there are any numbers, letters or words written on the label, in pen, then it’s most certainly a fake football shirt. This is because counterfeit factories will do this as a method of counting their stock, so it’s a very conclusive way of determining whether or not your football jersey is real or fake. In addition to this, all football shirts will have wash labels inside them to allow for the new owner to care for them properly. If your football shirt doesn’t come with any wash or care labels, then it’s likely a counterfeit football jersey.

Mystery Jersey King offers an innovative service whereby football shirt collectors and fans alike can subscribe to receive a mystery football shirt on a regular basis. As a fun and interesting way of growing your football shirt collection, it’s never been more popular. You’ll never have to worry about receiving the same shirt twice, so if you’re looking to expand your collection of mystery football jerseys, then this is a cost-effective, highly-anticipated way of doing it. For more information, get in touch with a member of our professional, dedicated team today - we’re always happy to hear from you.