{"product_id":"1997-99-vfl-bochum-longsleeve","title":"VfL Bochum Away Shirt FABER 1997-99 Vintage 2XL","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eVfL Bochum 1997-99 — The FABER long-sleeve away shirt that smells of coal and Bundesliga\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn the late 90s, the Ruhrgebiet was still running at full throttle, and \u003cstrong\u003eVfL Bochum\u003c\/strong\u003e was a German football institution that refused to be swallowed by the giants. This \u003cstrong\u003eFABER 1997-99 long-sleeve away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e in size 2XL is exactly that: serious, authentic, and from an era when \u003cstrong\u003eBundesliga\u003c\/strong\u003e football still had that rough, sincere taste that is missing today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eShirt details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:2;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeason:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1997-1999\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e VfL Bochum\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Away\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKit manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e FABER\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e LITTLE SPOT — authentic wear of a worn vintage jersey, a small discreet stain that tells its story without disfiguring it\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhat this shirt represents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eBetween 1997 and 1999, \u003cstrong\u003eVfL Bochum\u003c\/strong\u003e navigated the middle of the \u003cstrong\u003eBundesliga\u003c\/strong\u003e table with admirable consistency. Not a title-winning club, not a superstar club — but a pure football club, rooted in the working-class city of Bochum, in the Ruhr, with fans who never gave up. The \u003cstrong\u003eRuhrstadion\u003c\/strong\u003e roared at every match; supporters didn't come to see a show, they came to support their lads, no matter what. This \u003cstrong\u003evintage collector's shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e carries that very identity on its shoulders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThe kit manufacturer \u003cstrong\u003eFABER\u003c\/strong\u003e is not a name you see everywhere in collectors' display cases, and that's precisely what makes this shirt so valuable. In the late 90s, several second-tier German clubs chose regional or less-publicized kit manufacturers than Adidas or Nike, which today results in \u003cstrong\u003eultra-rare pieces on the vintage market\u003c\/strong\u003e. This long-sleeve away shirt is one of those pieces you don't come across every day on resale platforms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eMoments etched in this shirt\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBundesliga stability that commands admiration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nBetween 1997 and 1999, VfL Bochum remained in the German football elite without ever making headlines — and that's an achievement in itself. In a league as demanding as the \u003cstrong\u003eBundesliga\u003c\/strong\u003e, surviving season after season without the budgets of the big clubs is already a permanent form of victory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlayers who left their mark in the Ruhr\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThis period saw solid players wear the blue and white home shirt and fight on all German pitches when away. Names like \u003cstrong\u003ePeter Neururer\u003c\/strong\u003e leading the club from the bench, or players trained in the VfL work ethic, perfectly embody what this club represents: no frills, just hard work. The long-sleeve away shirt was what they put on to grab points on hostile grounds, on November evenings when it got dark at 5 pm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRuhr football in its rawest form\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe late 90s in the Bundesliga was a pivotal era: before the explosion of TV rights that would change everything, before football became a large-scale marketing product. \u003cstrong\u003eVfL Bochum from 1997-99 represents that kind of football\u003c\/strong\u003e — from before the big shift — and this shirt is its direct witness. That's why collectors of \u003cstrong\u003evintage German football shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e fight for such pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eAuthentic vs. Replica\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eauthentic vintage shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is not a replica printed in 2024. It's a garment that existed during that precise era, manufactured using the techniques and materials of the time, distributed and worn — sometimes on football pitches, sometimes in stands. The difference can be felt in the touch, seen in the cut, and read in the manufacturing details. An authentic FABER from 1997-99 looks like nothing else.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis one is rated \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 with a LITTLE SPOT\u003c\/strong\u003e — a small discreet stain that doesn't tarnish the beauty of the piece but proves that this shirt has had a life. For a serious collector, this light wear is a guarantee of authenticity, not a prohibitive defect. Overly perfect shirts often cause more fear than anything else in the world of \u003cstrong\u003evintage football\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eVintage sizing guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003evintage 90s 2XL\u003c\/strong\u003e doesn't correspond to a modern 2XL — far from it. The cuts of that era are generally more fitted, with narrower shoulders, and a less generous drape than today's loose modern cuts. What is tagged 2XL can easily correspond to an XL or even an L by current standards, depending on the brand and country of manufacture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore you fall in love, measure your chest circumference and compare it with the exact measurements of the shirt — don't hesitate to contact us for them. A long-sleeve away shirt can also be worn with a little extra room for comfort, but it's \u003cstrong\u003ebetter to check before buying\u003c\/strong\u003e than to regret it upon receipt. Vintage items cannot be returned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhy have it in your collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003evintage VfL Bochum shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is the archetype of the smart collector's jersey. Not an ultra-mainstream club whose vintage shirts are found everywhere, but a true historic Bundesliga club with a strong identity — which makes pieces rarer and often more interesting to own in the long run. Add to that the kit manufacturer \u003cstrong\u003eFABER\u003c\/strong\u003e, confidential and therefore very poorly represented in collections, and you have a combination that is not likely to be found on every street corner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eAnd frankly, \u003cstrong\u003elong-sleeve FABER VfL Bochum away shirts from the late 90s in 8\/10 condition\u003c\/strong\u003e... there aren't many in this state still floating around. Most have disappeared into the back of closets or have been worn too much to be worth anything anymore. This one is a quiet gem for anyone who recognizes the value of an authentic piece of \u003cstrong\u003eretro German football\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eTo go further\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"line-height:2.2;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VfL_Bochum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eVfL Bochum — Wikipedia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.footballkitarchive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFootball Kit Archive — History of football shirts\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.uefa.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUEFA — European Football\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-style:italic;line-height:1.8;\"\u003eIf you're looking for a shirt that tells a true story, that of a club that gave its all without ever pretending, this VfL Bochum FABER long-sleeve away shirt 1997-99 is for you — it's up to you to decide if you're ready to welcome it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vfl Bochum","offers":[{"title":"2XL","offer_id":54009535037715,"sku":"319704","price":399.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_1997-99-VFL-BOCHUM-LONGSLEEVE-2XL-319704_1.jpg?v=1775382971","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/1997-99-vfl-bochum-longsleeve","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}