England fans admit they can’t tell the difference between the real England shirts and £12 knock-offs. And they confessed they would rather save money buying the fake than splash out on the real thing.
A Daily Star investigation found that 70% of Three Lions fans were unable to tell the difference when handed both authentic and counterfeit jerseys. Nine in 10 said they would rather buy the knock-off than the real thing when told which was which.
The current England shirt is the most expensive on record, even after adjusting for inflation. The shirt alone costs an eye-watering £90, rising to £105 if you want a name printed on the back.
For many who love the team, that figure is simply unaffordable. We headed to London’s iconic Carnaby Street, in Soho, to find out whether people can tell the difference between fake versions and real tops. And we discovered seven in 10 folks could not distinguish which one was the legitimate version.
Mike Cottrell, 25, said although he is “England for life”, spending so much on a shirt was not realistic for him. He said this is especially the considering how similar the counterfeits are to the real thing.
Mike, who was one of many people to incorrectly identify the real England shirt, said buying the fake was a “tap-in” and even asked where he could get his hands on it.
Three Lions fan Jasmin Wilson, who was wearing a real England shirt, admitted that she “couldn’t really tell” the difference between the two when she looked at them. She said that, although some “die-hard” fans may want the real thing, next time she would opt for the fake.
The football supporter said: “£12 versus £90? If you’re wearing it to support the team and go to the pub, a fake is fine.”
Ex-retailer and self-professed England obsessive Matt Reece, 33, was able to tell the difference between the two shirts. He said that his background in clothing retail allowed him to spot details that others would not.
But even he claimed that the knock-off was the obvious choice because of the price difference, despite normally preferring the real thing. He said: “I’ve always gone for the authentic shirt, but I don’t think I could stretch to £90 for an England shirt.”
A spokesman for the Football Association said: “Without the income generated from commercial activity such as sponsorship, licensing and merchandising, this would not be possible. Our aim is to protect football fans and protect and enhance those monies that we can reinvest back into the game.”
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