Thousands buy Ronaldo jerseys as fakes flood Houston World Cup

Ahead of a riveting FIFA World Cup match between Portugal and Congo DR on Wednesday morning, the streets and sidewalks near Houston (a.k.a. Reliant) Stadium were lined with vendors peddling miscellaneous items during off-and-on light rain. 

Water bottles, t-shirts, hot dogs and scarves drew the usual crowds, as finding the right mix of pregame hydration and paraphernalia can be essential for last-minute prep before a big game. But one line was significantly longer than the others, as a pair of gentlemen were exchanging wads of big bills for a cellophane-wrapped Portuguese national team kit, with Puma branding and Cristiano Ronaldo’s No. 7 and surname on the back.

“$60,” Marcos Santos said when asked how much the jersey cost from the vendor. Santos, a native of Brazil and a resident of Austin, arrived in Houston at 7 a.m. for the match with his girlfriend, Amanda, and both purchased matching Ronaldo jerseys.

The jerseys looked pristine, with the standard stitching of a replica jersey sold in brick-and-mortar stores and reputable online sites, although the price on both platforms retails for $130. 

The vendors declined to answer any questions about the jerseys’ sourcing, and, frankly, their scowls in my direction made it clear I should steer clear of their hustle.

Game recognizes game, my friend, handle your business. 

The sale of jerseys before a sporting event isn’t a new practice, but the number of Ronaldo No. 7 jerseys in Portugal’s red and green lagoon, with Puma’s logo near the shoulder, at Houston Stadium was astounding. It was clear that street vendors had bet big on the sporting world’s biggest event, as fans clearly weren’t concerned about the legitimacy of their new jerseys when repping their home country or favorite soccer player. 

It’s also clear that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is paying attention to the hustle. 

On Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that officers from the Port of Houston/Galveston Trade Enforcement Unit seized over $6 million worth of authentic and counterfeit World Cup merchandise. The seizure included more than 12,000 Adidas soccer jerseys, 4,500 Adidas FIFA soccer balls and 4,400 pair of athletic shoes. Authorities reported that most of the shipments originated from China and were destined for various locations both within the United States and abroad.

Three days prior, CBP seized 18 shipments of counterfeit FIFA World Cup 2026 paraphernalia totaling 1,578 items that, if genuine, would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $134,594. Many of the jerseys were Puma counterfeits. Two months ago, a Homeland Security Investigations unit in Houston seized nearly $2 million in counterfeit items in southwest Houston—near Reliant Stadium—from a business suspected of selling counterfeit sports merchandise. 

“There’s a common misconception that counterfeiting only impacts large corporations, but in reality the impacts are far-reaching and often have the most immediate impact on small businesses that purchase expensive vendors’ licenses to sell authentic merchandise and can’t afford to lose revenue to counterfeiters who can easily undercut their prices,” said HSI Houston acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke. “Counterfeiting also impacts trademark holders who spend time, money and resources developing their brand and consumers who are duped out of their hard-earned money, falsely believing they’re receiving genuine merchandise, but instead receive substandard items made of cheap materials.”

The spillover effects on one’s health are also an overlooked risk for many. 

According to a 2022 study by the American Apparel & Footwear Association, 41 percent of counterfeit apparel and other goods tested failed to meet regulatory product safety standards. 

“The products that failed our study contained dangerous levels of arsenic, cadmium, phthalates, lead, and more that have been shown to cause adverse health outcomes. Even small amounts can pose significant health risks,” said AAFA president and CEO Steve Lamar in a statement.

Many products contain unsafe levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and phthalates, which can pose long-term health risks if overexposed to them.

The truth is, though, unless I hadn’t walked by those street vendors and noticed the long lines, I never would’ve thought about this conundrum at all. 

Seeing that many Ronaldo jerseys at such an event is akin to seeing Jose Altuve, Kevin Durant or CJ Stroud jerseys en masse at various Houston home games. And the Ronaldo jerseys being sold absolutely passed the eye test.

“Who’s to say it isn’t real?” Santos said when I asked about the legitimacy. “Looks good to me.” 

And that’s the real challenge for any sports fan and jersey makers—sports fans are being pinched more than ever for the cost of participation.

Santos said he paid approximately $1,800 just to watch Portugal and Congo DR finish with a 1-1 draw on Wednesday afternoon. While they only had a three-hour drive to the event, many fans paid thousands of dollars just to fly in. Add in hotels, parking and concessions, a few mortgage payments could’ve been made for the cost of attending said event. 

Santos’ girlfriend, who spoke only Portuguese, replied to my translated question with an authentic response that is understandable nearly anywhere across the globe.

A thumbs-up, while flexing the jersey with pride and yelling “Ronaldo!”