Man United forced into Europa League final kit change due to 64-year tradition

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Manchester United have been forced to ditch their traditional kit for the Europa League final due to a long-held convention.

The Red Devils clash with Tottenham in a sub-standard European showcase on Wednesday, with the two struggling Premier League outfits vying for silverware and an unlikely place in next season’s Champions League.

However, United will have a slightly different look to usual when they take to the San Mames, with a 64-year Spurs tradition dictating a change in strip.

It has been confirmed that Ruben Amorim’s side will sport black shorts instead of their traditional white, alongside their iconic red shirts and black socks.

This is due to the fact Spurs have worn all white in Europe since 1961 - and after being picked as the “home” side for the game, their kit choice supersedes that of United.

The tradition to don the white jersey was adopted by former manager Bill Nicholson, who strove to increase visibility for his players in stadiums that didn’t have good lighting in place.

Man United were previously required to alter their kit in Europe this season, sporting the same black shorts in their quarter-final first leg against Real Sociedad, in which they drew 1-1.