At Vintage Matchwear, we only sell 100% authentic sports jerseys. With counterfeit football shirts becoming more common online, we believe transparency matters. That’s why we’ve created this guide — to help collectors and fans understand how we authenticate Adidas football shirts, both modern and vintage.
1. Product Codes on Modern Adidas Shirts
Every modern Adidas football shirt is produced with a unique product code.
How we verify authenticity:
- The product code is located on the inner neck tag or wash label
- The example below is our Arsenal 2020/21 Away shirt with style code GM0218
- We search this code on Google Images
- A genuine shirt will return matching images of the same shirt, including:
- Club or national team
- Season
- Colourway and design
If a product code returns no results or different shirts, it’s a strong indicator of a counterfeit.
✅ At Vintage Matchwear:
Every modern Adidas shirt we sell passes this product code verification process.
2. “JSY” on the Tag: A Known Red Flag
One of the most common signs of a fake Adidas football shirt is “JSY” printed on the inner tag.
- “JSY” is frequently found on replica and counterfeit shirts
- Authentic Adidas football shirts do not use JSY as an identifier
While not every counterfeit looks the same, this is a widely recognised warning sign among collectors.
❌ Shirts with this marking do not make it onto our site.
3. Vintage Adidas Shirts: The Quotation Mark Test
Vintage Adidas shirts require specialist knowledge — and one small detail can make all the difference.
The key difference:
- Fake vintage shirts often show double quotation marks
Example: 38″-40″ - Authentic vintage Adidas shirts only use one quotation mark
Example: 38-40″
This is one of the most reliable authentication checks for older Adidas jerseys.
4. Vintage Adidas Size Systems (European Standards)
Older Adidas football shirts were produced using European sizing formats, not modern standards.
Authentic vintage tags may include:
- Chest sizes such as 38-40″, 40-42″, 42-44″
- Country-specific sizing:
- D (Germany)
- F (France)
- I (Italy)
This variation is completely normal for genuine vintage Adidas shirts.
⚠️ A supposed “vintage” shirt with only modern S / M / L sizing and low-quality tags should always be checked carefully.
5. Badge, Logo & Stitching Quality
Adidas has always maintained high production standards.
We carefully inspect:
- Adidas trefoil or performance logo clarity
- Clean, even stitching
- Correct badge placement and finish
- No spelling or alignment errors
Poor stitching or messy embroidery is often a sign of a fake.
6. Fabric & Overall Feel
- Feel lightweight but well-constructed
- Use breathable performance fabrics
- Age naturally on vintage pieces without feeling plastic or stiff
Many counterfeit shirts feel overly thick, shiny, or uncomfortable.
7. Our Authenticity Guarantee
Every Adidas football shirt sold at vintagematchwear.com is:
- Hand-checked for authenticity
- Verified using product codes (where applicable)
- Inspected for correct vintage sizing, tags, and manufacturing details
- Sold with complete confidence
If we wouldn’t wear it ourselves, we won’t sell it.