To think my mum bought my son a fake football strip? Pic attached

[ShesNotACowShesAFox]

My 7yo son is Ronaldo mad and a AI Nassr kit was on his list to Santa. My mum insisted on buying it as it met her budget. He loved it on Xmas day and was very grateful and I’ve only just washed it yesterday. I washed it at 30 degrees, which is much cooler than I’ve washed his other kits before when he’s played matches. However the blue colouring on the lettering has disappeared completely on the back! Pic attached - AIBU to think she’s bought him a fake kit? He’s always had football kits as presents and this has never happened. I’ve got in touch with her to ask her where it came from to see if I can return it. She said she bought it in a sports shop in France and can’t return it as she bought it in November.

For context, she is SUPER tight. She will come stay with me for a whole week, eating food I’ve paid for (which is fine, she’s a guest) but will then want the 49p for the pint of milk I’ve asked her to get for me when she’s at the shop. She’s very much a penny pincher. For clarity she isn’t poor - she retired at 48 and has been mortgage free since 40 (she’s 65 now).

Even though she knows my strong feelings on counterfeit goods and I didn’t think she’d get her grandson a fake kit but I just have a gut feeling!

Fake. Get the receipt.

That one is fake, I can spot a couple of differences to my sons.

It does look fake. My ds11 has loads of kits, mostly Man United and GAA stuff and they wash great just on normal washes. You’d know by the material I think. My mother lives in Spain and bought ds a Barcelona kit but she was straight up about buying it at the market. So far it’s washed ok but the material definitely doesn’t feel like all the Man U stuff I buy from the megastore. I would ask her for the name of the shop and the receipt so you can see about a replacement, see what she says.

What do you mean replica is counterfeit? A replica kit is just the name for the kits you can buy as a fan

As I said I don't do football, I like handbags, you see many 'replica' Marc Jacobs the tote bag that have been bought on holiday etc they are counterfeit.
My hairdresser bought her partner a fake football shirt bought from tiktok shop and called it a replica.
Ive just worded it clumsily I also need to add I hate the mj tote in case anyone thought I liked it .

All the people advising the OP to get a receipt, please read the OP again.

Thanks all. My problem with fakes/replicas is aside from the intellectual property issue (yes genuine lots are expensive but it’s doesn’t make it OK to copy IMO) it’s the kind of criminal lifestyles that dodgy “looky looky men“ (to quote another poster) types fund with money from these kits - drugs, sex trafficking, etc. That’s my problem with them. Aside from the fact they are clearly made of garbage material.

And to answer a PP it not only matters because of the above, but also because i did state to my mum that the strips are IIRC about £60 and that was her budget for the kids - so it feels like she’s ripped my DS off really. He doesn’t know of course though he’s upset about his top, I’m gonna have to go buy him a new one

Replica kits are the cheaper, mass-market shirts made by the official club manufacturers for fans to sell in places like Sports Direct. Differences include embroidered rather than printed badges as footballers don't want a load of scratchy detail when playing. They're usually made of heavier, longer lasting material to last a whole season. But if a site looks dodgy and says "replica" they mean it's a fake of the replica!

That one is fake. I bet "sports shop in France" was a market stall.

Are all the logos in the correct places? Are the colours the correct shade? These are things that will give away a fake kit.

My ds has had lots where the numbers peel, but not on the first wash! And never disintegrate like that, usually they just start to come off a bit after lots of washes or if they've been dried on a too hot radiator.

'rep' or 'replica' is well known to mean fake for things like shoes, handbags, designer clothing etc, but for football kits it should mean a replica of what the players wear - but now it seems to also be code for fake.

I get there is context but you shouldn’t judge her for buying a replica. Some of them are really good quality, she’s just been unlucky. The annoying thing is if you have to buy it now though I guess.

I’m gonna get a real one as I think the yellow is actually more of a bile green (sorry can’t think of a more accurate colour 😂) and will compare. Looking online at lettering I do think mum has good a fake one, and not a good one! Or she’s been scammer. But she’s as tight as a duck’s arse so I reckon she’ll be trying to get one on the cheap.

You know for again and if she wants to give a gift she can get a voucher for him. It’s a lie to do what she did.

To me it’s just a way of getting something dodgy and on the cheap at the expense of her grandson 🤷‍♀️ this is a woman though who once tricked her son out of money for a hire car. They all went on holiday together and mum organised my brother’s hire care at €100 a day. So he turns up to where they’re staying, mum already collected the hire car, DB didn’t think much of it and handed over the €700. Except it turns out she borrowed the car off a friend for €300 for the week. Effectively making €400 off her son! She sees things like that as good business though. Dont know why I bothered even trusting her!

She bloody should judge her for it if she has indeed bought a fake.

OPs mum knew her feelings on counterfeit goods and knew this was a much wanted kit by her grandson. To buy him a crap version of it for Xmas, to save herself money, is terrible. If she wanted to spend less she could have bought him something else cheaper and left OP to get the kit for her son.

Fucking hell. What a shit mother!

Maybe Mum didn't realise it wasn't official? I know my dm wouldn't have a clue, she would just see it online and think great price, buy!

Oh just saw update; I would definitely believe she knew than!

In light of this tale, your mother is a scumbag and she has clearly and deliberately bought a fake shit shirt for your son.

100% fake. I was my son’s Celtic stuff (bought directly from the club) at 30 and I’ve never had an issue. Any shirt losing the printed name/number after one wash can’t be genuine.

Look at the tags, stitching etc.

I think anyone charging £60 for a top for a 7 year old is just as much of a scumbag, legal or not. I don't feel bad for them. Just getting that out of the way.

I also don't think your mother has ripped your son off by buying him a present. My mother has gifted my son plenty of fake kits and we've not once had the lettering come off in a cool wash. Are you sure you washed it at 30? I print t shirts and I don't know of any htv that washes off at just 30 degrees. I would love to be able to take vinyl off that easily!
Either way, I think being offended because you didn't think the gift was good enough quality is a bit entitled. It's a shame though, definitely, and hopefully she'll sort a replacement.

The Al Nassr shirt is £95 on the Adidas website.

£95 for a top he will likely wear for a year and then grow out of. That's insanity.

Also, why are you teaching your son to idolise a rapist?

My ds is 10 . He has a Ronaldo top given by his db 24... Still washing well after passing down a few dbs and over 10 years old! Your poor ds is wearing a cheap and nasty version!!

I know you say your mum is tight with money but is it possible she bought it in good faith without knowing its fake? I only say that as a grandma myself and I try to buy everything my granddaughter or her mum says, and sometimes I've no clue what I'm buying/what it looks like....I've only got a name or a pic to go by.

Mental to pay that. It’s £44 in shops.