The label inside a football shirt is one of the first things we look at. It tells you who made the shirt, roughly when, for whom, and sometimes whether anything is wrong. Here is what to look for.
The parts of a label
- Brand and model: the maker's name and sometimes a technology name (for example a fabric or cut).
- Size: a letter, a number, or a European, UK or US size. Player shirts may use a numeric system; see our guide to Adidas player size codes and our vintage shirt sizing guide.
- Product or style code: a short code identifying the exact shirt. Collectors use these to look up the right season, version and colour.
- Country of manufacture: a clue, never a verdict. The same shirt can be made in several countries.
- Fabric content and wash symbols: the layout and wording changed over the decades, so these help to date a label.
- Barcodes and extra tags: some seasons carry additional hang tags or sewn-in tags that disappear over time.
Using the product code
Product codes are the most useful single detail. Compare the code on the label with a known reference for that shirt: the season, the version (home, away, player or replica) and the colour should all agree. A code that belongs to a different season is a warning sign.
What a label cannot tell you
A label can be replaced, copied or cut out of one shirt and sewn into another. A correct label does not prove authenticity, and a missing label does not prove a fake: some shirts lose them in a heavy wash or were never given one. Treat the label as one piece of evidence and check it against the printing, the stitching and the fabric. Our guide on how to spot a fake vintage shirt covers those details.
Photographing a label for a seller
If you ask a seller for photos, ask for the whole label, in focus and in daylight, plus the back of the label if there is print on both sides. A seller who refuses is telling you something.
Next step
Pick a shirt in our vintage football shirt collection and read the label photo alongside the description. We photograph labels so that you can do exactly this before you buy.