How to spot a fake 1998 Fiorentina shirt

The 90s was a golden era for football shirts, especially in Serie A and nothing comes close to the 1998 Fiorentina shirt. It ticks all the boxes. Unique colour, Batistuta and the Nintendo sponsor.

It is also one of the most faked shirts on the market so we have pulled together a guide with 4 tips to help you tell if the 1998 Fiorentina football shirt you are looking at is the real deal or a fake.

Tips to spot a fake vintage 1998 Fiorentina shirt

The material feel and shape of the collar

First up you must check the material feel and shape of the collar. The 1998 Fiorentina shirt has a wide collar and a button on the front. The real shirt will see a wider collar and a clean button, where the fake shirt is more narrow. You can also see the fake shirt material is more shimmery and crumpled.

The shape of the Fiorentina crest and letter spacing

Next, look at the badge. On the real shirt you can see the shape of the diamond is different and also the letters A C should have a space between them. Very rarely do the fakes have this detail and the letters are usually not spaced out at all as you can see.

"This sparked my obsession with all things Serie A and so that’s how I came to see Batistuta smash it up in the beautiful 1998-99 Fiorentina home shirt. Fiorentina, Batistuta, Nintendo. What more do you need? Sometimes a sponsor just partners a shirt perfectly and takes it to another level, this was the perfect example of just that."

Mark From 12 Yards

Inside print of the FILA tag

The 1998 Fiorentina shirt was made by FILA, Fiorentina's kit supplier in the late 90s until Diadora took over for the 2000-01 season. If you turn the shirt inside out you can also see the detailing of the FILA tag. On the real shirt the FILA tag is stuck onto the top of the shirt and doesn’t have significant stitching. Notice how the fake is stitched all the way through.

The FILA wash tag

Finally the most important detail which is a straight giveaway. The wash tags on an original Fiorentina shirt will have a FILA tag with a silver strip running through it like the picture above. It would be very surprising to find this on a fake shirt.

So there are 4 tips to help you check if your Fiorentina shirt is real or fake.

Authentic 90s Serie A shirts

Our 1998 Fiorentina shirts sell fast. Here are more authentic Serie A classics, every one hand-checked and guaranteed genuine:

1998/99 Zidane #21 Juventus Kappa Away Shirt

Genuine Kappa — £169.99

2000/01 Vieri #32 Inter Milan Nike Home Shirt

Genuine Nike — £149.99

1992/93 #9 Inter Milan Umbro Home Shirt

Genuine Umbro — £149.99

2001/02 Crespo #10 Lazio Puma Home Shirt

Genuine Puma — £109.99

Browse authentic Serie A shirts →

Give Jake a follow on Twitter here and let us know which other shirts you'd like us to cover.

FAQs

How can I tell if my 1998 Fiorentina shirt is fake?

Check four things:

• The collar should be wide with a clean button, and the material shouldn't look shimmery or crumpled.
• The crest should have the right diamond shape and a space between the letters A and C.
• Inside the shirt, the FILA tag should be applied on top rather than stitched all the way through.
• The FILA wash tag should have a silver strip running through it.

Who made the 1998 Fiorentina shirt?

FILA made it. They were Fiorentina's kit supplier in the late 90s, and the shirt carried the famous Nintendo sponsor. Diadora took over as kit supplier for the 2000-01 season.

What should the crest on a genuine 1998 Fiorentina shirt look like?

The diamond should be the correct shape, and there should be a clear space between the letters A and C. On most fakes the letters are bunched together with no gap.

What is the silver strip on the FILA wash tag?

Genuine 1998 Fiorentina shirts have a FILA wash tag with a silver strip running through it. It's the clearest single sign of an authentic shirt, and it's very rarely found on fakes.

Why is the 1998 Fiorentina shirt so often faked?

It's one of the most iconic Serie A shirts ever made: the unique purple, Batistuta and the Nintendo sponsor. That demand makes it a prime target for counterfeiters, so it's worth checking every detail before you buy.

Are Football Shirt Collective's shirts authentic?

Yes. Every shirt is hand-checked before listing and photographed in detail (10+ photos per shirt), and we're rated Excellent on Trustpilot. There are no fakes and no exceptions. Browse authentic Serie A shirts here.

Browse our collection of vintage Fiorentina shirts here.

Collecting other 90s classics? See our guides on how to spot a fake Kappa shirt and a fake Barcelona shirt, or find every guide in our fake shirt guide directory.