Club colours come at a premium as football shirt prices surge | OneFootball

Football shirts have become premium purchases, with prices up sharply in the past decade and many now clearing €100. What was once a near-automatic buy now demands a decision and a budget.

According to AS, base prices have risen by 40 to 55 percent since mid last decade, when shirts were typically €70 to €85. Entry prices now clear €100, and some personalised versions reach €200 or more. Real Madrid moved from €85 in 2009 to €100 today, with a wider gap on the player shirt, and collector Albert Valor cites nostalgia.

Across LaLiga the average is about €83 to €86, while the biggest clubs set bases near €100. Even the cheapest rarely fall below €70, so what was mid range is now the floor.

The most visible shift is product segmentation. Replica versions for everyday wear are about €100. Player grade shirts, with ultralight fabrics, heat sealed crests and a tighter fit, cost €125 to €165, around 40 percent more.

Inflation alone does not explain it. While shirts have climbed up to 55 percent in the last decade, the general consumer price index rose roughly 20 to 30 percent.

Shirts are treated as strategic products, buoyed by lucrative Adidas, Nike and Puma deals, globalisation and international demand.

Higher prices have fuelled a parallel market, with counterfeits at €20 to €25, popular with families dressing several children.

Source: AS