My kid's first kit was a disaster. I ordered a "small" that fit like a crop top. He wore it once, then it went to the back of the drawer. That mistake cost me twenty quid and a lot of moaning. So now I'm the guy who measures everything twice before ordering.
Youth sizes are not just smaller adult sizes
This is the biggest trap. A kids' medium isn't a scaled-down adult medium. It's cut differently. Narrower shoulders, shorter sleeves, and sometimes a boxier body. I've compared my son's 9-10 year old shirt to my adult small, and the proportions are completely different. The kids' one is wider in the chest but shorter in the body. So if your child is tall for their age, you might need to size up just for length.
And don't get me started on the age labels. One brand's "7-8 years" fits a petite 9-year-old. Another brand's "7-8" is for a stocky 6-year-old. There's no universal standard. I've started ignoring the age range and going straight to the chest measurement in centimetres.
When to size up and when to stay put
My rule: if your kid is between sizes, size up. They'll grow into it. A slightly baggy shirt looks fine on a child. A tight one looks wrong and feels worse. But there's a limit. If you size up two years, the shirt will swamp them and they'll refuse to wear it. I learned that with a goalkeeper kit that hung past my son's knees.
Also consider the fit they prefer. Some kids hate loose fabric. My daughter wants hers snug. So I buy her exact size, even if it means replacing it sooner. That's a trade-off you have to make.
Fake kits: the sizing roulette
Look, I've bought a few budget kits from online marketplaces. Some are brilliant. Others are a joke. The sizing is all over the place. I once ordered a "kids large" that fit me. And I'm an adult. So if you're going down the cheap route, always check the size chart in centimetres, not the age label. Even then, it's a gamble.
That said, there are decent budget options. I recently picked up a Player Version 2026 Jamaica Dark Grey Reggae Music Culture Special Edition Jersey Soccer Football from LISIMKE for $24.99. The sizing was actually true to the chart. My son wears it constantly. It's a nice change from the usual big-club shirts, and the reggae music culture design is a conversation starter at the park.
Washing and shrinking: the hidden size killer
You finally get the size right. Then you wash it at 40 degrees and it shrinks two inches. I've ruined more kits that way than I care to admit. Now I wash everything at 30 and air dry. No tumble dryer. Ever. That goes double for printed names and numbers. The heat cracks them.
Also, check the care label before you buy. Some cheap kits are notorious for shrinking. If the label says 100% polyester, you're usually safe. If it's a cotton blend, be careful.
What about growth spurts?
Kids grow. Obviously. But they don't grow at a steady rate. My son went up two sizes in six months. So buying a kit that fits perfectly today might be a waste by Christmas. My advice: buy one size up for the start of the season. By the end, it'll fit just right. And if you're buying a shirt for a specific match or event, buy the size that fits now. Don't gamble on growth.
At the end of the day, there's no perfect answer. But measure your kid, check the brand's specific size chart, and when in doubt, go bigger. Your wallet will thank you.