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Strategy May 27, 2025

Free T-Shirts Honoring Rafa Nadal Given Out at French Open Fetch Hundreds on Secondhand Market

The phenomenon is a testament to the iconic tennis great – and the power branded merch has to capture big moments in a tangible way.

By  Christopher Ruvo

Key Takeaways

• Tribute Turned Cultural Moment: The “Merci Rafa” shirts honored Rafa Nadal and created a striking stadium mosaic at the French Open.

• Unexpected Resale Frenzy: Fans sold the shirts for hundreds, showing how merch can become a valuable collectible with sentimental meaning.

A free T-shirt from the French Open had some recipients exclaiming “ooh la la!” as they raked in hundreds of dollars by selling the tee online – another interesting example of how merch can go viral and become a cultural phenomenon.

The T-shirts honored tennis legend Rafa Nadal – a 14-time winner of the French Open. Organizers provided the shirts free of charge to tournament attendees, who wore them during a tribute ceremony to Nadal on Sunday, May 25.

Rafal Nadal

Rafa Nadal won the French Open 14 times. This is him with the last of those 14 championships.

Reading “Merci Rafa” and featuring the date “25.05.2025,” the shirts came in various shades of clay in a nod to the famous surface at Roland-Garros where the open is played.

It was coordinated so that when the fans all had the shirts on, a large mosaic became visible in the stands, saying “Rafa” and “RG14” – a reference to the great champion’s number of French Open wins.

For some, the shirts became an instant keepsake that signified participation in the honoring of a truly iconic tennis player. Others, however, weren’t as sentimental. They turned to reseller sites like Vinted to off-load their tees – and found rabid Rafa fans to be a receptive audience. Some shirts were listed for as much as 570 euros – nearly $647.

Other list prices included 550 euros, 200 euros and 240 euros – shipping not included. The Associated Press reported that seller Maxime Berthuis was selling an authentic “Merci Rafa” shirt for $570.

“I’m not going to wear the T-shirt anyway,” Berthuis told The Associated Press. “Honestly, I don’t know how I’ll spend the money yet.” In addition to many offering to buy the shirt, Berthuis also received online chastising from Nadal fans.

Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation, said it was a “bit sad” to see people profiting from sales of the “Merci Rafa” tees. “Some of the prices I saw scared me,” he said. “We created something unique – and maybe that uniqueness explains why this is happening.”

Indeed, the shirts showcase how merch can become a powerful symbol – a treasured memento that signifies a special time, place, person and/or team. Much more than just a “giveaway,” the shirts are, for true Nadal devotees if not those selling the shirts in this case, a tactile connection to the player and his achievements – the way he made sincere fans feel when he was at his captivating best. That, after all, is why people were willing to pay hundreds of euros for a simple free shirt.