In this second part of our series, we explore the risks fans face when buying counterfeit football kits, particularly around delivery and sizing.
The Gamble on Counterfeit Football Kit Delivery
Our orders for counterfeit kits, placed on 28th September 2024, achieved a 75% success rate, with only six out of eight shirts arriving. This leaves a 25% chance that a shirt might not arrive at all—an unappealing risk for anyone.
- Delivery Window: The shirts that arrived took 18-20 days to reach us. This wait time could be extended for a gift purchase, with additional delays during the busy pre-season period.
- Lost Orders: The PSG shirt was lost after the seller’s account was frozen on the Chinese wholesaler’s site, leaving us waiting 12 days before the cancellation and refund notification. The Bayern Munich shirt also went missing, likely stuck in customs, with no updates six weeks after ordering.
| Team | Ordered | Dispatched | Received | Total Time |
| Manchester United | 28th Sept | 4th Oct | 18th Oct | 20 Days |
| Liverpool | 28th Sept | 3rd Oct | 17th Oct | 19 Days |
| Brazil | 28th Sept | 1st Oct | 16th Oct | 18 Days |
| Juventus | 28th Sept | 1st Oct | 16th Oct | 18 Days |
| Inter Miami | 28th Sept | 1st Oct | 16th Oct | 18 Days |
| Real Madrid | 28th Sept | 1st Oct | 16th Oct | 18 Days |
| Bayern Munich | 28th Sept | 30th Sept | Lost in post/customs? | N/a |
| PSG | 28th Sept | 10th Oct | Seller account frozen (Refunded) | N/a |
Given the uncertainties and potential delays, fans purchasing counterfeits may be taking a significant risk if they expect these kits to arrive in a reasonable timeframe.
Packaging and Initial Impressions
Upon arrival, the differences between counterfeit and official kits were noticeable before even opening the packages.
- Counterfeit Packaging: Most counterfeit kits came in strong plastic zip-lock bags with standard recycling and warning instructions. Even the recycling instructions were fake, mimicking the official kits’ much lighter LDPE-4-rated and marked bags. Many counterfeits also came with outdated card tags, were poorly folded, and had transfer paper still attached to the heat-pressed sponsors and logos.
- Creases and Quality Issues: The counterfeit shirts were creased and not steamed before packaging, with some showing puckering in embroidered areas from poor-quality machining. The Juventus and Brazil shirts also had loose threads hanging from the stars above the badge.
- Official Packaging: In contrast, official kits arrived with nice paper inserts and official tags. Interestingly, Nike’s Liverpool kit arrived without any packaging other than labels, part of the brand’s drive towards carbon neutrality—a gesture towards sustainability but one that might lack the “new kit” feeling some fans expect.
While the official kits had a cleaner presentation, they weren’t flawless. The Manchester United shirt had a loose red thread hanging from the collar, and the Real Madrid kit had visible stitching issues, underscoring that even high-priced items can come with imperfections.
Sizing Discrepancies: Will the Counterfeit Football Kit Actually Fit?
Another potential gamble for fans is sizing. Our measurements found that the counterfeit kits were often significantly different in size from the official versions, ranging from nearly 8.5% smaller to 2% larger. This inconsistency could lead to uncomfortable surprises if fans hope for a good fit.
| Kit | Front Collar to Bottom Difference (%) | Chest Side to Side Difference (%) | Back Collar to Bottom Difference (%) | Average Difference (%) |
| Liverpool | -7.89% | -9.09% | -8.57% | -8.52% |
| Real Madrid | -6.07% | -6.82% | -5.83% | -6.24% |
| Man United | -5.77% | -7.01% | -4.38% | -5.72% |
| Inter Miami | +1.85% | +7.80% | +0.74% | +1.74% |
| Brazil | -8.91% | -2.19% | -7.44% | -6.18% |
| Juventus | -7.14% | -7.67% | -3.37% | -6.06% |
- Liverpool: The counterfeit was 45mm shorter in front, 40mm narrower, and 57mm shorter in the back, resulting in a significantly smaller fit.
- Inter Miami: This counterfeit was a rare exception. It was 32mm wider than the official shirt, though slightly shorter.
These variations mean fan may face uncertainty over whether the shirt will fit them, with some counterfeit kits requiring uncomfortable compromises. Sizing inconsistencies are especially pronounced on kits like the Liverpool and Brazil versions, which were up to 8.5% smaller than their official counterparts.
Let’s Talk About Those Big Discounts
| Team | Brand | Official Cost (£ – Child Size) | Counterfeit Cost (£) | Saving | % Cheaper | Times Cheaper |
| Man United | Adidas | £55.00 | £16.74 | £38.26 | 70 | 3.3 |
| Real Madrid* | Adidas | £55.00 | £8.72 | £46.28 | 84 | 6.3 |
| Juventus* | Adidas | £55.00 | £7.98 | £47.02 | 85 | 6.9 |
| Inter Miami** | Adidas | £65.00 | £11.65 | £53.35 | 82 | 5.6 |
| Liverpool* | Nike | £64.99 | £16.72 | £48.27 | 74 | 3.9 |
| Brazil* | Nike | £64.99 | £9.45 | £55.54 | 85 | 6.9 |
| PSG | Nike | £64.99 | £13.23 | £51.76 | 80 | 4.9 |
| Bayern* | Adidas | £55.00 | £13.68 | £41.32 | 75 | 4 |
* Included extra shorts and/or socks,
** Only included option with Messi name and number print
The price differences between official and counterfeit children’s football shirts were stark, with counterfeit options offering significant savings. Official shirts from Adidas and Nike cost between £55 and £65, while their counterfeit counterparts ranged from just £7.98 to £16.74. The savings here are striking; for example, a counterfeit Real Madrid shirt cost only £8.72 compared to the official £55, making it 84% cheaper—or 6.3 times cheaper in relative terms.
The counterfeit versions of Nike’s Liverpool and Brazil shirts were also considerably cheaper, costing £16.72 and £9.45, respectively, providing parents with savings of 74% to 85%. Given the growing popularity of international clubs, teams like Inter Miami with player prints, such as Messi’s, cost around £11.65 for the counterfeit version, in contrast to £65 for the official shirt, which translated to a 5.6 times price difference.
For fans on a budget, these savings could be hard to overlook, especially as many counterfeit kits included additional items like shorts and socks. It could further reduce costs by around £37.50 based on official Liverpool prices for those items.
For the cost of a single official Nike shirt, parents could buy five counterfeit kits covering multiple teams or designs for the same outlay. This raises an important question for many fans: while the price is attractive, does the lower cost justify the potential downsides of purchasing counterfeit merchandise?
Conclusion: Is It Worth the Gamble?
Our experience highlights the potential pitfalls parents face when buying counterfeit football kits. While the price savings are enticing, the issues around delivery reliability, packaging quality, and sizing discrepancies mean fans may be taking a real gamble.
What’s Next?
Next, we took all 12 shirts out to the public to see if they could tell the difference by looking at both versions of the kit. The results might be unsettling for football clubs around the world!
Viewing Part 2 of 8 in our 'A Tale Of Two Shirts' Series
| Part | Study | Article |
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1 |
Intro |
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2 |
Prices, Sizing & Delivery |
Are Parents Taking a Gamble on Delivery and Sizing for Big Discounts? |
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3 |
Can Fans Tell the Difference? |
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4 |
Expert Assessment of Fakes |
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5 |
Parents Survey |
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6 |
Washing Machine Test |
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7 |
Kit Prices & Fan Cost Inflation |
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8 |
Final Thoughts |
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A1 |
Counterfeit Football Kit Statistics |
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A2 |
£100 Premier League Replica Shirt |