How To Spot A Fake Adidas Football Shirt?

With counterfeit football shirts flooding the market, knowing how to spot a fake Adidas jersey is essential for any true fan or collector.

Written by

Stefan Haas

Adidas is one of the world’s most iconic sportswear brands, known for its innovation, quality craftsmanship, and long-standing partnerships with top football clubs and national teams. Whether it's Real Madrid, Liverpool, or the German national team, Adidas football shirts are a favorite among players and fans alike. However, with popularity comes imitation, and the market for counterfeit Adidas jerseys is unfortunately thriving.

If you're planning to buy an Adidas football shirt, it's important to know how to spot the difference between genuine and fake. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key signs to look for, so you don’t get caught out with a low-quality imitation.

1. Check the Price

Just like Nike, Adidas football shirts are premium products, and their price reflects the quality. A brand-new Adidas jersey typically costs between €70 and €120, depending on the model (fan version vs. player version).

What to watch out for:

  • Suspiciously low prices, especially on unfamiliar websites or third-party sellers can be a red flag.

  • If a shirt is being sold at 70–80% off while it’s still the current season’s kit, proceed with caution.

2. Examine the Adidas Logo

The iconic 3-stripes and Adidas Performance logo (three diagonal bars forming a triangle) are trademarks of the brand. Fakes often get these details wrong.

What to look out for:

  • Stitching: On authentic shirts, the logo is usually embroidered or tightly heat-pressed with no loose threads or gaps.

  • Symmetry: The three bars should be even, spaced correctly, and angled precisely.

  • Placement: Logos should be aligned perfectly—off-center placement is a common fake giveaway.

Fake vs real logo on a Manchester United 23/24 away shirt.

3. Feel the Fabric

Adidas shirts often feature advanced materials like AEROREADY or HEAT.RDY (used in player-issue jerseys), which are engineered for performance, breathability, and comfort.

What to look out for:

  • Genuine Adidas shirts are lightweight, stretchy, and moisture-wicking.

  • Fake shirts may feel thicker, stiffer, or cheaper, and may lack stretch or breathability.

  • Look for woven patterns or mesh zones in authentic designs.

4. Inspect the Tags and Labels

Adidas includes detailed tags with each shirt—these contain product codes, sizing, country of manufacture, and washing instructions.

What to check:

  • Swing tags: Genuine shirts come with thick, high-quality paper tags that include barcodes, model numbers (e.g., "S12652"), and pricing info. A counterfeit code commonly found on fake swing tags is "P95985," often labeled simply as "ADIDAS JSY." Be cautious, because this is always a fake. Authentic Adidas items will specify the product clearly, such as "MUFC 3 JSY," "AJAX 3 JSY," or "FEF H JSY," indicating the team and type of jersey.

  • Inner tags: Check the inside label for consistent font, spacing, and production country. Counterfeits often have blurry printing or misspelled words and are many times produced in other countries than the original.

Real vs fake tags on a Manchester United 2023/24 away shirt.

5. Look for the Authenticity Label

Official Adidas jerseys feature a small label, usually located beneath the collar. On shirts manufactured before 2010, this label may instead be positioned next to or underneath the care tags.

What you'll typically find on this label:

  • Production date: Indicates when the shirt was manufactured, helping to verify if the design matches the correct season.

  • Authenticity code: A unique product identifier that should match official Adidas listings for that specific jersey.

  • Adidas QR code: A scannable code on the back of the label that can lead to the official Adidas website (back of the label).

The authenticity label on a Real Madrid shirt from 2017/18.

It’s important to check these details carefully. One reliable method is to search the authenticity code on Google. If the correct shirt appears in the results, it’s a good indication that the jersey is genuine.

However, if a different shirt appears, or no results show up at all, it’s often a sign that the jersey could be fake. That said, there are exceptions. In rare cases, such as limited-edition or match-issued shirts, the authenticity code may not yield any results online, since they are rarely sold. This doesn’t necessarily mean the shirt is fake, but it does warrant closer inspection.

For example, searching the code “BR3539” brings up images of the correct Adidas shirt, confirming its authenticity.

List of popular fake codes:

CW1526 AI4411 697265 B10751 Z26991 X21992 (Used a lot for Real Madrid 2012/13 Third, but is actually away) P95985 GE4846

6. Check the Stitching and Finish

Craftsmanship is key. Adidas is known for clean lines, seamless construction, and precision sewing.

What to look out for:

  • Even seams and straight stitching throughout the jersey.

  • No loose threads or rough edges.

  • Fake shirts often have sloppy workmanship, with uneven lines or stitching that unravels easily.

7. Team Crests and Sponsorship Details

Whether it’s a club badge or a national crest, logos should be flawless. The same goes for sponsor logos.

What to look out for:

  • Crests: On genuine shirts, club or country crests are either finely embroidered or high-quality heat-pressed.

  • Sponsor logos: Should be sharp and durable. Fakes often use cheap vinyl that cracks or peels easily.

  • Color accuracy: Some fakes get team colors slightly wrong—compare to official product images.

8. Check the Design Accuracy

Adidas releases official designs each season, and every shirt has specific details—from collar style to graphic patterns and sleeve cuffs.

What to look out for:

  • Compare with official images on Adidas.com or club websites.

  • Seasonal details like anniversary badges, limited-edition logos, or kit launch dates can help you spot inconsistencies.

9. Buy from Trusted Retailers

Finally, the best way to avoid getting scammed is to buy directly from Adidas, official club shops, or well-known vintage shops like First11, that give a 100% authenticity guarantee.

Avoid:

  • Unknown third-party sellers.

  • Questionable marketplaces with no customer support.

  • Sellers who only accept cash, cryptocurrency, or untraceable payment methods.

Conclusion

When it comes to buying an Adidas football shirt, attention to detail is everything. From fabric quality and logo placement to product codes and pricing, genuine jerseys stand out for their craftsmanship and design precision. If anything feels off, don’t ignore it, because it might be a fake.

By following this guide, you’ll be better equipped to spot counterfeit Adidas shirts and make sure your money is spent on the real deal: a shirt that’s stylish, durable, and worthy of your team’s crest.

When in doubt, play it safe: buy official.