What’s the Difference Between a Replica and Authentic Football Jersey?

"What is a replica football jersey?" and "what is the difference between replica and authentic football jerseys" is something we get asked often and it’s a fair question, especially when “replica” can be a misleading word in this regard! Don’t be fooled by the name as neither one is fake nor counterfeit.

The main difference between our jerseys is that replica jerseys are intended to be made for fans to wear off-field while authentic jerseys are a player issue style, meaning that the authentic football jerseys are the ones that the players actually wear on pitch, cool right!?!

What’s exciting us at Ultra Football is that we’ve started to increase our authentic range for the fans, and it’s going to get even bigger and better for the next 2020/21 European club season. Right now, we have a range of adidas International Federation authentic jerseys in store and online which are here in time for the Euro’s in June/July, so we thought that we’d use them as an example to fully explain the differences between the two offerings. The key difference between replica and authentic football jerseys include:

• Fit
• Logos, Embroidery & Design
• Fabric
• Price

Fit 

Fit is a big one when it comes to replica vs authentic jerseys. Many of us are happy with the standard, true to size fit that a replica jersey offers up because let’s face it, we aren’t all exactly full-time athletes! If you are like most people and are looking for a casual, relaxed and regular fit then the replica version is the one for you.

On the flipside, if you keep yourself in great shape and are keen on a jersey that has a more atheltic fit, allowing you to show off just how match-ready you are, then authentic is the way to go. Authentic jerseys have features focused on maximising performance such as a curved hem shape with a light front to back drop in length to improve freedom of movement, because moving freely at speed is very important for high level footballers.

Some people that buy an authentic jersey do run into the trap of feeling like the jersey is “too small” or “too tight”. This is because of the fact they are intended for players on pitch as outlined above. So be warned, authentic jerseys certainly offer a tighter fit, rather than the more relaxed, standard fit of a replica jersey.

Logos, Embroidery & Design

Another thing you’ll notice when you look deeper into replica vs authentic jerseys is that there are differences in details with the logos, embroidery and design.

With the authentic jersey being the 1:1 version of what players wear on the field; everything is done to ensure comfort levels are high and weight is kept to a minimum. You’ll notice that on authentic jerseys, the logos and emblems are heat transferred, rather than embroidered like you’ll find on the replica jerseys. This is to ensure the athlete’s design is as lightweight as possible.

Fabric

Fabric is another key point when it comes to replica vs authentic. The 1:1 authentic version will always have a soft, functional, structured and ultra-breathable moisture-wicking polyester fabric with the main aim of keeping players super cool and dry no matter what the conditions.

The replica version is by no means a bad option when it comes to fabric, but their overall make up isn’t as premium as the one intended for athletes.

If we look at our adidas Federation Jerseys for Euro 2020 as an example, the authentic version is 100% polyester doubleknit with breathable, air-cooling HEAT.RDY tech, while the replica version is 51% polyester, 49% recycled polyester doubleknit combined with lightweight, moisture absorbing AEROREADY fabric.

The differences may sound small, but the 100% doubleknit is a more premium fabric with much more in-built tech and detail than the replica version. 

Price

When it comes to price, you’re going to pay a premium for the extra tech and details for any authentic jersey. The price isn’t for everyone and that’s absolutely fine and is one of the reasons why the replica version exists in the first place.

If like a few fans of Ultra Football, you crave the absolute top of the range gear and you can afford the extra, you are literally getting the same jersey Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi is rocking on pitch – it doesn’t get any better than that!

Right now our first batch of authentic jerseys are the adidas Federation National Team jerseys which start at $180 or you can grab the replica versions that are $120.

Customisation 

At Ultra Football we offer official licensed name and number printing for a range of our different national and club teams. Official name and number sets will cost you $30 and these are the exact versions the players wear on their back during games. These are available on both replica and authentic jerseys. Check out our full range of customised jerseys currently available. 

After a cheaper option? We also offer Ultra Football branded name and numbering for just $16 dollars.

You can also choose to add your own name and number to a jersey.

Official License from Brand & Club

Our final point is an important one. There are HEAPS of fake and counterfeit jerseys around in a time where jersey culture is booming, and everyone is desperate to get the latest and greatest products.

If you are shopping online and the price seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t the authentic or replica jersey you are hoping to receive!

Do your research, ask for as many images as possible before buying and make sure you are looking at the finer details to see if you can spot anything untoward.

Where possible do your best to buy replica and authentic football jerseys from trusted stores like ours or the club directly. By doing so you are supporting the club, and in many cases supporting the environment because the brands use recycled polyester in many cases.

If you’re still not completely sure about the differences and want more of a run down, our very own Tom McGowan from FC Ultra has done a video for you to get up to speed using our 2020 Belgium National Team Replica Jersey and our 2020 Spain National Team Authentic Jersey as an example. Check out the video at the top of the page.

If you’re still stuck shoot us a message on instagram, facebook or via customer service!