The stature footballers hold in the hearts of supporters can be immense.
Aside from being global superstars, they’re also role models, and fans are constantly looking to form some kind of connection with them.
Be it a kind gesture or their signature on some merchandise, it all acts as a token of a special relationship.
With that in mind, imagine the shock one would feel if they discovered that their treasured item was simply illegitimate.
Unfortunately, such a revelation arrived for fans of the French giants PSG.
According to French Journo Romain Molina, there existed a policy at the club which entailed that t-shirts sent out to fans were to be signed by random club employees rather than the players themselves.
The report mentioned Edinson Cavani as a notable exception, stating that the Uruguayan insisted on signing them himself.
Several years ago, when Edinson Cavani was still at PSG, the policy was that signed player shirts that the club gave away to fans would actually be signed by random club employees instead for most players, except Cavani, who insisted on doing it himself, per @Romain_Molina.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 4, 2022
A rude awakening for fans of the Parisiens, some even began questioning the authenticity of their signed shirts online and a barrage of memes followed.
Partaking in the fun were fellow Ligue 1 rivals, Olympique Lyon.
Shortly after the startling news broke out, the French outfit firstly posted a New Year special for their fans, a lucky draw promotion offering a chance for fans to win a signed kit.
They followed up that post with an obvious dig at PSG and posted two images of their players signing the jerseys that will eventually go out to fans.
In stark contrast to the PSG report, the club showcased its admiration for its supporters.
The tweet was an instant hit amongst fans, concluding an evening of trolling at PSG’s expense.