Guide - how to recognize a fake Real Madrid 1999-01 away shirt.

The "Retro Fake" series opens with a Real Madrid away shirt from the 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons, which is a trap for less experienced collectors.

This is an interesting case because the producers of counterfeits brazenly included the correct MPN, i.e. the unique product code assigned by the manufacturer. It is mainly for this reason that I decided that this shirt would be the first to be analyzed in detail. Real Madrid 99-01 away is a kind of warning before completing the verification by checking the code and entering it into the search engine. Let's face it, this is a very bad habit of most people who collect football shirts. The code is correct, it must be legit, right? Well, not necessarily.

In the analysis below, I will try to present what we should pay attention to when buying this iconic 'Los Blancos' shirt and not let fraudsters make money. Due to the fact that we do not always have the opportunity to compare jerseys, I assumed that the best way, apart from a simple description, would also be a visual presentation of individual details.

1. Tag with product code

The correct code for the Real Madrid 1999-01 away shirt is: 627114. We should receive photos of our Real Madrid shirt in the "Graphics" section after entering the number in the search engine.

However, as I mentioned at the beginning, we cannot be sure of anything at this point. So let's see how the inner tag compares with the manufacturer's code in the original and the fake version. 

At first glance, the code is correct, even the print font is almost 1:1. However, the alarm signal for us should be the material from which the tag is made. As we can see, it is clearly different. In the original, it is the same as the one from which the main tag attached to the collar line is made, while in the fake, it will be made of paper.

Another clue can also be found on the back of a small label with a code, where the production date is located. If you notice a pen or pencil mark there, it is a sign that the jersey is very suspicious.

2. Main tag / wash tag

The second detail we will look at is the main label, where we will find all the most important information (From size, through washing symbols, to the place of production).

The characteristic elements on the label that clearly indicate that we are dealing with a fake are: 

• Light blue color of the Adidas logo (a very characteristic feature of most fake Adidas shirts from that period - the color should look like in the photos on the right).
• Unclear, poor quality Real badge with lighter colors (I also recommend paying attention to the poorly made letter "F" in the central part of the badge).
• Different size and font type.
• Poor quality of country flags (the US flag will tell you the truth ;)).

3. Club crest

The Real Madrid crest on the fake shirt is characterized by very poor finishing of the details. Individual elements are much thicker and differ in color shade, which is clearly shown in the comparison below.

4. Collar line

Another detail that is very helpful when verifying this shirt is the collar line. In the fake, the inscription "Real Madrid" is written in a different font, the orange line on the white background is much thicker, and the color is brighter. The arrangement of details on the collar line also differs. In the original, it is irregular and the inscription "Real Madrid" does not appear in the center, as it does in the fake one.

5. “Official replica” patch

The last detail we will take a closer look at is the "Official replica" patch. Once again, we can notice a significant difference in the material the patch is made of and the colors. Typically, the colors in the fake are brighter. The original has better and clearer inscriptions, "Adidas" and "Official Replica"

What else should we pay attention to?

When we do not have the opportunity to compare the above-mentioned details too carefully, it is also worth looking at several other aspects. Generally, I mean things that are visible at first glance, even if we only have one photo of the jersey.

The red alarm light should also come on when characteristic creases are visible on the shirt. These creases are nothing more than the fact that the jersey has just been removed from the plastic bag.

We should also be concerned about the snow-white, untouched by time, name set. With a shirt that is well over twenty years old, it is very unlikely that it will look like it was freshly applied.

The last, even flagship, detail are modern paper tags that counterfeit manufacturers attach to shirts. Here are two examples of such tags:

Finally, a purely technical piece of advice, mainly for people who are starting their adventure with collecting football shirts

If you see this shirt at a suspiciously low price, and it is available in all sizes, you can be sure that it is not even close to the original. This rule applies not only to this Real Madrid jersey but to all retro items. Yes, sometimes some legit stores will have a "dead stock" of shirts from the 90s, but they definitely won't cost $30 each 😉.

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