If you’re a bonafide football fanatic, chances are you’ve got a fair few football shirts knocking about your wardrobe. But simply having a few shirts to choose from just won’t cut it in the world of soccer super fandom – you need to pay proper homage to your collection.
There are so many weird and wonderful shirts around the globe and collecting all your favourite players’ shirts can become an obsession. Before getting your wallet out, there are some tips you should know, such as how many you plan to get and what you plan on doing with them.
Where to buy your football shirts
There are all sorts of places to source football shirts. You can find pre-loved shirts in charity shops, vintage shops, and online marketplaces like Depop and Vinted.
If you are looking for brand-new shirts that have never been owned before, have a look for your favourite player’s shirt on official websites to ensure you are getting the real thing.
Understand the trends
Throughout the year, there are better periods of time to grab a shirt; for example, during Black Friday and straight after Christmas it’s likely you’ll see sales on shirts across stores and the net.
If collecting is all you care about, then choosing a lesser-known team could also make sense. Looking at Worldwide Statista figures, in 2021, Bayern Munich shirts were most popular, followed by Real Madrid and Liverpool, while in the UK, LovetheSales data found a huge spike in interest for Newcastle United’s shirts in 2021 – more sales equals more competition for shirts!
What’s more, if newer versions of shirts are released, older versions will likely decrease in price. And if you aren’t bothered about price and prefer limited edition shirts, make sure to be attentive for when stock is released as these can sell out very quickly.
For instance, if you’re a fan of the dominant Dutchman, Virgil van Dijk, then you can bag yourself a personally signed football shirt.
Ask your relatives
Who knows, your family and friends may have some old shirts lying around unused which could make mean additions to a retro or retrospective team shirt collection, and for much less money than buying from a collector.
Additionally, letting family and friends know about your preferences will make it easy for them to buy you shirts for special occasions like your birthday or for Christmas – a win-win!
Set a budget
To save yourself getting carried away and spending too much money on your new football shirt habit set yourself a budget and stick to it – you might end up going too far and spending too much.
Never put yourself at financial risk and spend your hard-earned money on things that aren’t a necessity. It’s a hobby that you’re meant to enjoy – when the fun stops, stop!