Manchester United will be forced into a kit change for their Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur due to a 64-year-old tradition.
United and Spurs will contest the third all-English final of the Europa League‘s history, dating back to when it was known as the UEFA Cup.
The two sides defeated Athletic Bilbao and Bodo/Glimt respectively in the semi-finals, with the final due to take place in Bilbao on May 21.
The reward for the winner is a spot in next season’s Champions League, with the loser missing out on Europe entirely due to their current league positions of 15th (United) and 16th (Spurs).
In the Premier League, both sides are allowed to wear their home kits when playing against each other as, despite United wearing white shorts and Spurs wearing white shirts, it isn’t enough to constitute a kit clash.
In Europe, though, it is a different story.
Spurs have, where permitted, worn an all-white kit for their European matches – a tradition that dates back 64 years.
Back in the 1960/61 season, Spurs manager Bill Nicholson decided to change the club’s kit, partially because he considered it to hold a potential performance advantage.
The club’s official website revealed that, although it has been widely claimed that the main reason was to emulate Real Madrid‘s all-white kit, there was a more practical explanation.
With floodlights not as bright as they are today, Spurs’ white shirt and navy shorts combination made it difficult for the players to see each other during evening matches.
Nicholson decided to sanction the all-white kit change to improve visibility.
Spurs would use white shorts for the first time in an away match against Polish side Gornik in 1961 – their first-ever European fixture after completing a First Division and FA Cup double in the previous campaign.
Winger Cliff Jones would later state: “We did love playing in it [the all-white kit]. European nights we felt fresher, the air was different.”
Spurs are the administrative home side for the Europa League final, meaning they will get first choice over whether to wear their home kit.
Ange Postecoglou, therefore, will hope that he and his side can emulate that feeling in Bilbao and deliver the club’s first trophy since 2008.
As for United, they will likely wear an all-navy blue kit in Spain as they look to end Ruben Amorim‘s first campaign in charge of the club on a high note.
