Tottenham Hotspur

We are delighted to announce the Club will be visiting Korea as part of our summer pre-season tour of Asia.

Our Men’s first team will be taking part in the 2025 Coupang Play Series, a tournament organised and promoted by Coupang and Pitch International.

Fixture and ticketing information for the 2025 Coupang Play Series will be announced in due course.

This will be our fifth visit to Korea, where the Club is regarded as the country’s best-supported overseas team. It will also be our third appearance in the Coupang Play Series, having taken part in 2022 and 2024.

As is Club tradition, players and staff will be engaging with our fans, supporting good causes, and celebrating local culture throughout our time in Korea.

We shall be working with AIA, the Club’s Global Principal Partner, as part of its mission to deepen engagement with AIA communities across Asia and promote health and well-being, as well as additional partners in the region such as Alipay+, whose logo will feature on the back of the shirt.

Alongside this, the Club’s Global Football Development coaches will deliver our renowned technical programme for local young players and coach education workshops, showcasing the authentic training methods developed within the Club’s Academy, helping young players to reach their full potential.

We can confirm the kit colours we’ll be wearing for Wednesday’s UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao.

Our outfield players will don our traditional all-Lilywhite European strip for the showpiece match against Manchester United.

It marks the continuation of a tradition stretching back some 64 years.

Indeed, the all-Lilywhite strip is synonymous with the Club playing in European competition since our first foray into the European Cup as English champions in 1961.

Wednesday’s kit will utilise this season’s home shirts – which feature navy blue sleeves – paired with white shorts and white socks.

Our goalkeeper will wear this season’s first-choice yellow keeper’s strip.

Manchester United, meanwhile, will wear their traditional red home shirts but will change from white shorts to black in order to avoid a clash. They’ll wear their usual black socks, with their goalkeeper in green.

A tradition stretching back 64 years will continue on Wednesday night when we proudly step out in the UEFA Europa League Final against Manchester United in Bilbao.

The players will be back in the all-Lilywhite kit that has been synonymous with Tottenham Hotspur playing in European competition since our first foray into Europe in the European Cup as English champions in 1961.

The obvious question is: 'Why did we switch our blue shorts for white and go with an all-white kit?'

The answer is all documented in the brilliant coffee table book The Spurs Shirt and, as we run the explanation below, fans won't be surprised to hear it was down to the genius of our greatest manager, Bill Nicholson...

Brilliant whites

From The Spurs Shirt

Under the guidance of legendary manager Bill Nicholson, the colours of lilywhite and blue became synonymous not just with success but with success achieved in the right way – in style. During the glorious 1960/61 season, Spurs set record after record on their way to an era-defining league and cup Double, earning the mantle ‘Super Spurs’. But they weren’t stopping there. Nicholson, ever the ambitious purist, now set his sights on taking on the best that Europe had to offer.

What sets great managers like Nicholson apart is the constant search to discover areas where even the slightest advantage might be gained. The great man would obsessively seek out small details which could make a difference to player performance, and that included the playing kit. ‘Bill Nick’ was a pioneer of the school of thought that considered style in terms of a potential performance advantage – the ‘if you look smart, you play smart’ ethos.

This was of course an era when the team manager had influence over all aspects of the football club, and that included having the final say on the club’s kit colour and design.

This attention to detail in terms of the playing strip was seen in Bill Nick’s first full season in charge of Spurs, when he changed the home shirt to Umbro’s lighter cotton, short-sleeved v-neck ‘Continental’ (later ‘International’) style. And there was a further twist to the club’s home strip for Tottenham’s debut on the European stage.

When the team ran out for their first-ever competitive European fixture against Polish side Gornik Zabrze in September 1961, the players were wearing white shorts rather than their traditional navy. The match represents the very beginning of the club’s glorious European history and the start of a unique tradition whereby Spurs-– other than for a handful of exceptions during the 1990s - have always worn white shorts with their white shirts and socks when playing in continental competition.

The popular story is that the team adopted this all-white strip for its pioneering ventures into continental football because of Bill Nicholson’s admiration for the all-conquering Real Madrid side of the late 1950s. But did Bill Nick - like one of his playing and managerial peers of the period, Don Revie, who insisted during the summer of 1961 that Leeds United permanently adopt an all-white kit in the style of Real Madrid - want his Spurs side to emulate the Spaniards, not just in how they played but how they looked? The truth of the matter - like the fact that Spurs did not copy Preston North End when switching their colours to white and navy - is almost certainly less romantic but sheds further light on the genius of Bill Nicholson and his meticulous attention to every detail.

Spurs had actually been experimenting with the team strip for some time, especially as a means of improving player visibility in floodlit games. These were the early days of floodlights (the first league match under lights was not played until 1956) and the lights themselves were of a much lesser quality than those we are familiar with today, meaning playing conditions could be gloomy to say the least. So one of Nicholson’s innovations when he took over as manager in 1958 was to introduce an alternative change kit to the club’s traditional (and Nicholson’s favoured) dark navy shirts, bringing in an alternative change strip of all-amber which he thought would help the players to see each other more clearly under lights.

Going back even further to September 1956 - when Nicholson was assistant to Jimmy Anderson - Spurs wore white shorts as part of a home strip for the first time in a floodlit friendly against Racing Club de Paris. Indeed, not only did they play the match in all-white, they also experimented with shirts made from a shiny, reflective material known as Rayon. The idea was that the combination of all-white and the shiny material would help the players to see each other in the murky light. Two weeks later the same kit got a run-out for the Anglo-Scottish Floodlit League home game with Partick Thistle; the programme for that match describing Spurs as playing in ‘Corinthian all-white’.

The Rayon shirts were ditched after a handful of games because the material was very hot and uncomfortable for the players (although an amber change kit made from the same material was trialled in 1958), but the idea of white shorts for improved visibility in floodlit games prevailed. Under Bill Nicholson’s management, an all-white kit was worn away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in March 1959, with white shirts and shorts worn - albeit with blue socks - away to Sheffield Wednesday during the 1959/60 season, as well as for a floodlit friendly match against Torpedo Moscow in November 1959, when the fact that the game was played in fog almost certainly reinforced the logic behind the idea.

So although Nicholson, like many in football, admired Real Madrid, the extraordinary winners of the first five European Cups, the reason for the decision to wear white shorts for European matches - always played in midweek and usually under floodlights - was far less romantic. It was a purely practical choice aimed at maximising player performance. The fact that Real Madrid also played in all-white is a coincidence, although the myth may well have been perpetuated by the fact that when they became the first British winners of a European trophy by winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963 the Spurs players were not just wearing the same colours as the famous Spanish team but the exact same style of Umbro jersey.

The shirt that many consider the classic Spurs shirt even appeared in the Umbro catalogue as the ‘Real’ jersey and was, according to the manufacturer, 'the choice of the world famous team Real Madrid, and many other leading British teams'.

Ironically, the game away to Gornik in Poland - the first occasion when Spurs wore white shorts designed to improve visibility in a competitive European match - was played in daylight. However, Nicholson had made his decision and the tradition had begun, although this appears to have been lost on the Spurs stars who played in the match.

“We just turned up in the dressing room for the game and there was the all-white kit,” Cliff Jones recalls. “No-one said anything; nothing was said to us. We just focused on the game coming up.”

“Nobody ever mentioned Real Madrid, ever,” concurs Phil Beal. “Although I absolutely loved playing in all-white, it made you feel 10 feet tall, unbeatable.” And Ricky George, a young apprentice at the time, concurs: “The all-white kit was for visibility. It was Bill Nick’s way of looking for those marginal gains. Those nights at White Hart Lane, under the lights, were just very special.”

“We loved playing in all-white,” continues Jones. “I honestly cannot say for certain it made any difference in making us see each other better under the floodlights, but we did love playing in it. European nights we felt fresher, the air was different.”

The late, great, Alan Gilzean put it slightly more succinctly. “It just felt special,” he said.

Chris Hughton first walked into Spurs as an apprentice in 1977. Two years later, he made his debut, two years after that, he lifted the FA Cup at Wembley, aged 22.

A Spurs man through and through, Chris enjoyed a 30-year association with the club, making 398 appearances in all competitions before embarking on a coaching career that progressed through our youth and reserve teams into first team coaching roles under Ossie Ardiles and Gerry Francis and then assistant manager roles under Christian Gross, George Graham, David Pleat and Martin Jol. From there, he's taken up managerial positions at Newcastle, Birmingham City, Brighton, Forest and, most recently, Ghana.

Twice an FA Cup winner, 1981 and 1982, Chris knows all about European finals, having been part of our UEFA Cup winning team in 1984 - 41 years ago.

That famous night at the Lane - Graham Roberts' late equaliser, Tony Parks' heroics in the penalty shoot-out - is still spoken about. Robbo has told us how it felt like, 'there were 100,000 people there'. Indeed, it was voted the best moment in the Lane's history during the build-up to the Finale back in 2017.

Yes, 41 years ago - 23 May, 1984. Recalling that night with some of his team-mates during the build-up to Bilbao - look out for those interviews, coming soon - Chris, now 66, found the perfect way of summing up what the legacy would be for the current team winning a European trophy...

“I made my debut in 1979, and when I first walked into the club, Bill Nicholson was still here," he said. "He was revered. Right up to the final times I saw Bill, whenever I was in his company, and I used to see him on a Saturday morning watching the youth team, I was still in awe of him. That was because of his teams.

"So, roll that clock forward, then it’s the 1981 FA Cup team, then it’s the 1984 UEFA Cup team. To this day, I still bump into so many Spurs fans who speak about the 1984 UEFA Cup Final – in fact, it's always 81 and 84. And they speak about 84 because it was at their home stadium.

"To still be speaking about 84, now 41 years on... that’s the legacy. If I was a player now, I would want fans to be speaking about 2025, bringing home that trophy, in 2066. For me, that’s how big it is.”

Look out for a special feature with our heroes of 1984 on Monday...

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for our final Premier League away fixture of the season at Aston Villa (7.30pm UK).

Ange Postecoglou has made three changes from our previous league outing against Crystal Palace as captain Heung-Min Son returns to the starting side to lead the team out at Villa Park.

The other two changes see Sergio Reguilon replace Pedro Porro in defence for his first appearance since Leicester City on 26 January with a place at left-back and Mikey Moore starts for the third time in the top-flight this term.

Centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven and full-back Destiny Udogie did not travel to the West Midlands as Academy duo Dante Cassanova and Callum Olusesi come into the matchday squad.

Starting XI: Kinsky, Spence, Danso, Davies, Reguilon; Gray, Sarr; Moore, Odobert, Tel; Son (c).

Substitutes: Vicario, Pedro Porro, Bissouma, Bentancur, Olusesi, Cassanova, Johnson, Richarlison, Solanke.

Wear something white for the game!

To create a strong visual effect in our supporters’ section, and as was so impactful during the home leg of our semi-final tie with Bodø/Glimt earlier this month, supporters travelling to Bilbao are encouraged to wear something white for the game – such as your favourite home shirt from down the years. Further information on our plans to create a special atmosphere in the stadium ahead of kick-off will be communicated separately.

Stay up to date - Spurs Matchday Info on WhatsApp

Travelling fans are strongly encouraged to join the Spurs Matchday Info channel on WhatsApp.

As well as supplying key information for all fixtures, the channel will also provide important real-time updates and information for fans to be aware of whilst in Bilbao.

Simply CLICK HERE or search for Spurs Matchday Info in your WhatsApp Updates section.

Travelling to Spain

British nationals do not need a visa to travel to Spain, however, a valid passport will be required for the duration of the intended stay.

Supporters should also note that passports must have been issued less than 10 years before the date of entry into Spain (check the ‘date of issue’) and be valid for at least three months after the day of departure (check the ‘expiry date’).

Fans should familiarise themselves with the government’s travel advice for Spain before making the journey.

If needing to contact the British Consulate, fans should head to GOV.UK - Do you need emergency help?, or should call 0034 91 714 6300.

In the event of an emergency travel document being required, head to https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document/how-to-apply

Arriving in Bilbao

Bilbao airport [BIO] is located north of the city centre. A bus service links the airport with Bilbao Intermodal Station, including stops in the city centre. The service runs regularly throughout the day and takes approximately 20 minutes.

Other airports to be considered include:

Vitoria airport [VIT] (60 mins drive)

Santander airport [SDR] (80 mins drive)

San Sebastián airport [EAS] (90 mins drive)

Madrid airport [MAD] (four hour drive)

If arriving on a charter flight, it is likely that you will arrive at Vitoria airport. It is advisable not to check luggage in, and travel with only hand luggage.

It is also important to make sure to have both your departing and returning boarding pass downloaded and ready to ensure a smooth travel process.

Fans travelling on the Club’s official coaches to Bilbao will have received all information surrounding their journey direct from our coach provider, Big Green Coach.

Coaches will be departing Lee Valley Athletics Centre to San Mames at 4.15pm on Tuesday, 20 May. Coaches will stop on various occasions throughout the trip, dropping supporters near the Fan Meeting Point in Bilbao.

Coaches will depart post-match from the Fan Meeting Point for the return journey at 1am, with supporters asked to be ready to leave ahead of this to avoid unnecessary delays. Please note these timings are estimated and arrival/departure times may vary.

Park & Ride

Fans driving to Bilbao are advised to use the Metro Bilbao Park & Ride services, as opposed to driving into the city centre. Further information on this service is available here.

Direct train services connect Bilbao and Madrid in around five hours. Fans should ensure to carefully look into train travel options, as this is expected to be extremely busy with many services now unavailable. Further information can be found here.

Fan Meeting Point

Address: 48012 Bilbao, Biscay, Spain

All fans are strongly advised to head to our dedicated Fan Meeting Point, which is in Ametzola. Whilst serving as an important location for fans to be able to access stadium safely, this will also be the best place to experience the pre-match build-up. Here, Paul Coyte will be hosting the countdown to kick-off with plenty of entertainment to enjoy - including live music, a DJ, special guest appearances and exclusive giveaways. Refreshment kiosks will also be selling food and drink throughout the day.

A 15-minute walk from the stadium, this meeting point will be open from 10am-6pm, with facilities including a bag deposit service, food and drink stands, phone charging facilities and toilets.

Getting to the stadium

Address: P.º Rafael Moreno "Pitxitxi", s/n, Basurto-Zorroza, 48013 Bilbao, Biscay, Spain

Turnstiles will be open from three hours ahead of kick-off at 6pm. Supporters are advised to begin to make their way to the stadium as early as possible to avoid delays.

From the Fan Meeting Point

Supporters must use the blue route when making their way to the stadium. This will lead directly to the correct turnstiles, allowing the quickest entry. Use Av. del Ferrocarril then take Sabino Arana Etorbidea when you reach the junction. Here you will begin your ticket and security checks. Please ensure to be ready to display your ticket on demand to avoid delays.

From the city centre

If making the journey from the city centre, approach the stadium using the streets of Urkixo Zumarkalea or Simón Bolivar Kalea.

Supporters should use Indautxu metro station on lines 1&2, which is a short walk away from the stadium. Please do not use the tram service, as this will bring you to the wrong side of the stadium.

Due to the significant number of road closures in place on matchday, it is not advisable to travel to the game via taxi. Fans that must use this option, however, are advised to use the designated taxi drop-off/pick-up when booking, which is Pérez Galdós Kalea 53.

Accessibility

Detailed accessibility information surrounding matchday and the San Mamés stadium can be found here.

Fans can also view accessible information relating directly to public transport within Bilbao here.

Those travelling who require further access support should contact the Club directly by emailing access@tottenhamhotspur.com

Supporters who have purchased an accessible ticket should have, if required, pre-booked parking and must ensure to use the designated space marked on the parking pass. It is important to allow sufficient time to park on matchday, due to several road closures and traffic management plans that come into effect.

The stadium itself is accessible and includes designated wheelchair spaces. Accessible toilets are available, as well as low-level refreshment service counters.

Audio-Descriptive Commentary (ADC) will be available on the UEFA Europa League app. Instructions on how to activate the service can be found within UEFA’s comprehensive accessibility guide above.

Disabled Supporter Assistants will be present in accessible viewing areas, as well as in the Fan Meeting Point and at turnstile areas along with Tottenham Hotspur Access Stewards should any support be required.

Supporters without tickets

Fans should not travel to Bilbao without a valid match ticket. This match is a sell-out, and therefore, there will be no way of obtaining tickets on matchday due to UEFA’s strict management of shared tickets.

Tickets will be available to the purchasing supporter only via the UEFA Mobile Tickets app. These tickets cannot be shared multiple times and may not work at the turnstile if suspicious activity has occurred.

There will be extensive ticket checks at various points in Bilbao, including when entering communal fan areas. This will extend to body searches and fans should make sure to familiarise themselves with the stadium rules here.

Bag policy

Bags larger than A4 in size will not be permitted into the stadium. A bag drop service, priced at €6, is available at the Fan Meeting Point.

All bags brought into the stadium will be subject to a search by a member of the stadium’s security team.

Medical exemptions are permitted, with no requirement to seek approval in advance. Each case will be assessed individually during the stadium entry process. Please allow extra time to enter the stadium for this process.

Weather

The weather in Bilbao is unpredictable and inclement weather is regular. It is therefore important to ensure to bring suitable and appropriate clothing.

Umbrellas will not be permitted into the stadium.

Spurs Respects

We are proud of our superb and loyal support at home and away. We all have a responsibility to act as ambassadors of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and act as considerate visitors to those who live and work in the cities and countries we visit. Please respect local customs and traditions by not placing flags or banners on local statues or monuments.

We recognise that most supporters want to watch a football match and not to listen to abusive or indecent language from the stands. Discriminatory behaviour which includes shouting, chanting or actions such as racist, xenophobic, sectarian, homophobic, sexist or anti-disability behaviour is unacceptable.

If you witness incidents like these, please notify a steward immediately. The Club reserves the right to indefinitely ban supporters found guilty of using discriminatory language.

Flags and banners

Flags and banners are permitted, however, must be approved by UEFA if larger than 2x1.5m.

Supporters should submit the following to supporterservices@tottenhamhotspur.com by 4pm on Friday 16th May.

Image of your flag.

Size/dimensions of your flag.

Confirmation that it is fire retardant (image of the fire certificate).

The Club will seek UEFA’s approval for your flag and will provide you with an update as soon as possible.

More information about flag policy can be found on the stadium page.

Emergency services

The local emergency services contact number in Spain is 112.

Our Men’s First Team will travel to FC Bayern in pre-season for the Telekom Cup on Thursday 7 August, kick-off 6.30pm (local time) at Allianz Arena.

Recently crowned Bundesliga champions for the 2024/25 season, Vincent Kompany’s side - with our all-time leading goalscorer, Harry Kane, in their ranks - claimed the title for a record-extending 33rd time.

We twice faced the German giants during our pre-season schedule in 2024, first in our final tour outing in Seoul, South Korea, on 3 August and then back home at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later.

In a repeat of the curtain-raiser to the new campaign in N17 last summer, this latest meeting with Bayern will see us return to their Bavarian home for the first time since the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage.

It’s our penultimate Premier League game of the season on Friday night as we head to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa.

Here’s all the key info you need...

What time is kick-off against Aston Villa?

The match starts at 7.30pm UK time.

How can I watch the game?

Friday’s match at Villa Park will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League.

Our Match Centre here on tottenhamhotspur.com and the Spurs Official app also enables you to follow the game in full via live text and audio commentary, stats, photos and more.

Video highlights will be available across Club channels from two hours after the full-time whistle, with a full match replay available from midnight.

What is the team news?

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Heung-Min Son is in line to play at least a half at Villa Park as he continues to work his way back from a foot injury.

The skipper returned to action off the bench against Crystal Palace last weekend and looks set to pick up more minutes against Villa with next week’s UEFA Europa League Final against Manchester United looming large.

Unfortunately, Dejan Kulusevski is now out after undergoing surgery on a knee injury picked up against Palace.

He joins James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Radu Dragusin, Dane Scarlett and Timo Werner on the sidelines.

Villa will be without United loanee Marcus Rashford and Youri Tielemans through injury, while Jacob Ramsey is suspended.

Who is the referee?

Peter Bankes will referee the game, assisted by Eddie Smart and Nick Greenhalgh.

The fourth official will be Tim Robinson.

James Bell and assistant Dan Cook will take on VAR duties.

What colours will the teams be playing in?

Aston Villa will wear their usual claret and blue shirts with white shorts and blue socks.

Their goalkeeper will be using an all-black strip with red trim.

We’ll wear our usual home kit – Lilywhite shirts, navy blue shorts and white socks – with our keeper in yellow.

What will the weather conditions be like?

It’s set to be a bright, sunny day on Friday, with temperatures at around 18 degrees when the game gets underway.

What is the travel information if I’m going to the game?

Travel information for those making the trip to Villa Park can be found here.

You could have excused Micky van de Ven a moment to reflect once the dust settled on our UEFA Europa League semi-final win against Bodo/Glimt.

Micky returned from injury to start our last five huge UEL matches to take us to next week’s showpiece against Manchester United in Bilbao (21 May) - the second leg against AZ, both legs against Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt - renewing his central defensive partnership with Cuti Romero and conceding three goals in those five games, including huge clean sheets in Germany and Norway.

Good times - but it wasn’t always that way for the Dutch defender this season.

Indeed, Micky talked us through the tough times as he recovered from injury setbacks against Chelsea (8 Decemeber) and Elfsborg (30 January) - setbacks that restricted him to just two appearances between initially getting injured against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on 30 October through to his return against Bournemouth on 9 March. During that time, he was sidelined for 27 matches in all competitions.

“It’s been really tough,” he reflected. “I played against Chelsea, thought, ‘I’m back’, but then fell out again and, mentally, it’s like you are getting punched, and you have to do it (rehab) all over again.

“I came back against Elfsborg, we won, made the first eight (in the league phase of the UEL), so it was only positive vibes, but then afterwards, something wasn’t right, and it was so tough to be out again. I've worked on my own, away from the group, over and over, so to describe the emotions that come after the game (at Bodo), you're like, ‘this is what I did it for’. It was so tough. You get down. It’s so important the people around you are staying positive, and the people here kept me pushing.”

Micky has plenty of highlights on the way to the final, including the site of the 'To Dare Is To Do’ tifo in the first leg of the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt - ‘I looked right, saw it, and it just gives you power’ - keeping a clean sheet in Norway - ‘we said, ‘you're not scoring against us’, and we did that’ - and dressing room scenes with Guglielmo Vicario in his pants - ‘he threw his shorts into the fans, I’m like, ‘what are you doing?’ he’s like, ‘I don’t care’ - but Micky picks the 1-0 win at Frankfurt as his number one.

“They are an unbelievable side, of course,” he added. “It's really difficult to play over there with their fans, so we knew it was going to be a really, really tough game for us. They scored in every home game for a year, so to keep a clean sheet over there... we played an unbelievable game as a team. That was a really big performance.”

As for dreams of lifting the trophy, with the final less than a week away, Micky said: “It’s nice that we’ve reached the final, but I just want to win it. You can reach a final and if you lose it, no one talks about it again, but we just go there and we go full out to win this trophy.”

After a steady start to life in north London following his arrival from Swedish side Djurgarden on 1 July, the 19-year-old has since developed into a standout performer during the second half of the season with his talent, tenacity and boundless energy in midfield really shining through.

Since his debut at Leicester City in our opening game of the 2024/25 season, the Sweden international, who was rewarded with a new deal last month, has gone on to make 45 appearances in all competitions to date and opened his account with the match-winner in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January.

With 11 starts in his 34 Premier League appearances, our number 15's most prominent role has come on our run to the UEFA Europa League Final where we now face Manchester United in Bilbao on 21 May. In his first taste of European competition, Lucas started 10 out of 12 fixtures and in each knockout round until an ankle injury ruled him out of the semi-finals against Bodø/Glimt.

Watch - Lucas scores his first Spurs goal