Authentication Case Files: What Our Reviewers Actually Check

Not individual transactions — the recurring patterns that come up again and again in real reviews.

To protect seller and buyer privacy, this guide doesn't publish photos or details of specific listings. What it does cover is the patterns our authentication reviewers see repeatedly — composite examples built from the kind of thing that actually comes up, not any single disclosed sale.

If you've read our label, stitching and badge guides, this page shows how those individual checks combine in practice.

How a Review Actually Works

A reviewer works through the same sequence every time: main label construction, wash label and any product code, crest and sponsor application, then a full-shirt comparison against reference photos for the claimed season. Any one inconsistency prompts a closer look at everything else, rather than an automatic fail — genuine shirts sometimes have minor, explainable quirks, and the goal is an accurate call, not the fastest one.

Pattern: the almost-right label

A woven label, correctly done — but the font weight or spacing is subtly off from genuine reference examples for that season. On its own this is inconclusive, since manufacturers do sometimes make small mid-season changes. Combined with a second inconsistency elsewhere, it tips the balance.

Pattern: the mismatched season

A shirt with a sponsor, badge or patch combination that doesn't actually match any real season — for instance a cup patch from a competition the club didn't play in that year. This usually points to a shirt assembled from mixed parts rather than an original single-season garment.

Pattern: the too-clean crest

A crest with edges so sharp and uniform they don't match the slight, expected variation of genuine embroidery or heat-sealing at scale — often a sign of a higher-quality counterfeit using precision equipment rather than the manufacturer's actual production process.

What Happens After a Review

A shirt that passes gets an authenticated badge on its listing. One that doesn't isn't automatically accused of being fake in public — the seller is contacted directly with the specific concern, since some issues turn out to be explainable (a genuine but unusual variant, for instance) rather than counterfeit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't you publish real examples with photos?

Publishing a specific listing's authentication result, even a failed one, isn't something we do without the seller's consent — it's their transaction, not a public case study. The patterns above are composites for exactly that reason.

Does one red flag automatically mean a shirt is fake?

No. A single inconsistency prompts closer review of everything else rather than an automatic conclusion — see how a review actually works, above.

Can I request authentication before I list or buy?

Yes — it's opt-in per listing at €5.99–€7.99. See our authentication service page for details.

Ready to get a shirt checked? Visit our

or start with the fundamentals in our guide on spotting a fake football shirt.