An online shop with curated football goods and original product born out of a collective passion for all things football. Not just the game itself, but everything that surrounds it – the boots, the kits, the stories, the aesthetics, the photos, the commercials, the TV shows, and more. Welcome to the wonderful world of Fanshoppi.
It's an obsession that has evolved into a shared addiction, by Jasper and Daan – the founders of Amsterdam based Fanshoppi. The pair spend their time scouring from the far corners of the internet for unique and fascinating football-related products. They seek out everything from belts, lamps, watches, tablecloths, posters, keychains, hats, and beyond. To some it's simply tat... To them it's solid gold. We caught up with the pair to hear more about the project.
CK: First things first and we ask everyone this before we get started… who do do you support?
Jasper: Both of us were born in Amsterdam, so it's only natural that we support Ajax. I come from a family of Ajax supporters. Watching games with my father, uncle, brother, and friends has always been a tradition. While I used to get incredibly frustrated when Ajax performed poorly, as I grow older, I don't take it as personally. Also, because of everything we create, I've come to appreciate football on a broader scale.
Daan: Ajax all day every day. And I especially support the traditional Ajax way of playing. The technical, free flowing, attacking football Ajax is known for. I would say Nwankwo Kanu is my favourite Ajax player of all time.
Jasper: Imagine Nwankwo Kanu playing alongside Frenkie de Jong in an Ajax shirt…
CK: Haha – we thought you might say they were your team. And what do you think of the Ajax kit(s) this year?
Daan: To be honest… It’s disgusting. It might be the ugliest shirt we’ve ever played in. In a way it perfectly suits the way we perform this year. It’s safe to say it’s not the best season for us… But you know Ajax, our academy always produces new talents that help us recover from periods like this. Keep an eye on Jorrel Hato, Silvano Vos and Gabriel Misehouy.
Jasper: It's hard to separate a kit from the team's performance. So, even though I think the kit is decent, considering Ajax's horrific season so far, it will never become a favourite. The opposite is also true, the black, white, and gold kit from the unforgettable 2019 season will remain legendary forever.
CK: So how did it all start? How did Fanshoppoi’s come in to being born?
Jasper: We were born and raised in Amsterdam. Football played a significant role in our friendship. Whether we were watching games or discussing football, I heavily relied on Daan's knowledge, as he had played at a very high level. My own footballing career consisted of playing for a lousy Sunday league teams and playing in the streets.
Daan: Our collaborative football journey began out of a shared frustration. All we saw on television were grumpy old pundits with cynical comments about the modern game. Meanwhile, the content professional football clubs put out on their own media channels left us feeling excluded as fans. That's why we started a small live show in a bar centred around Ajax games – by the fans, for the fans. We are huge Ajax fans.
Jasper: This show later evolved into a podcast about football in general, which we continue to make to this day. In Studio Socrates – named after the most stylish footballer of all time, Brazilian legend Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira e Oliveira – we focus on everything that makes football beautiful. Sure, there are plenty of unsavoury aspects, such as corruption, match-fixing, hooliganism, the controversial World Cup in Qatar, FIFA, and so on. But there's still so much about football that makes it the greatest sport in the world.
Daan: In the podcast we had a little segment where we would give away cheap but fun football stuff we found on internet to our listeners. A cheeky Luis Figo poster or a Rijkaard panini sticker. Stuff like that. After a while we bought so much cool stuff, we decided to open our own Fanshoppi. And here we are.
CK: So what acts as inspiration for your work with Fanshoppi?
Jasper: I'm inspired by anything created by people who find beauty in niche football-related subjects. Whether it's a project involving a 100 Gullit sculptures (shout-out @nicolepedder), designing refugee football kits, quirky illustrations, short stories about nearly forgotten footballers, and more – I admire those who take overlooked elements and turn them into something exciting.
Daan: I can only agree with Jasper. And growing up in the late 90s and early 00s brought a lot of inspiration. There’s so much beauty to be found in that era. My current obsession are keychains out of that period. We’ve found stunning Zidane, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho keychains. Big shout-out also to @astorelike94. Big inspiration.
CK: What's the goal of Fanshoppi?
Jasper: The goal of Fanshoppi is to help with the guilt I feel when I spend countless hours hunting for football treasures. Currently, it's a time-consuming addiction, but we hope to transform it into something more sustainable.
Daan: I would love to build a worldwide community with like-minded football lovers. And I want Fanshoppi to be the place you come to for original, stylish football products.
CK: Can you tell us what you have planned to release soon?
Daan: We are working on a few cool things.
Jasper: We'll continue to add vintage finds, but we'll also create more of our own merchandise. Expect a bootleg shirts-inspired football calendar, Christmas baubles, and the launch of our own snack designed to calm nerves during thrilling games.
Daan: We are also working on a Riquelme shirt inspired by the naughty covers of Cumbia Villera-bands like Damas Gratis and Yerba Brava. Argentinian football and cumbia are heavily connected. It was played in the stadium when Argentine became world champions and Damas Gratis performed at Riquelme’s farewell game at Boca. We want to pay an homage to it.
CK: Where can people find your wonderful works?
Jasper: We've started small with just an Instagram page and a limited selection of products. However, we're preparing to launch a web-shop in the near future, so keep your eyes open.
CK: And what about getting in contact? Can people follow you and reach out via the usual social channels?
Daan: For now: @fanshoppi on Instagram. Feel free to send us a dm. We love hearing from you. And if you ever find yourself in Amsterdam, come have a beer at Café de Druif. It's the oldest bar in the city, and Jasper happens to be one of the owners. Always welcome to have a drink and chat about football.
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