Manchester United have been forced to alter their traditional kit ahead of the Europa League final against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday evening.
The match presents an opportunity for Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou to secure silverware following challenging seasons, with the winner also securing a place in next season's Champions League.
Both teams have already touched down in Spain in preparation for Wednesday's showdown. However, United will sport a slightly different look when they step onto the pitch at San Mames.
It has been revealed that Amorim's squad will don black shorts - a departure from their usual white - paired with their iconic red shirts and black socks.
This change is due to Spurs' longstanding European tradition. The North London club has sported all-white kits in Europe since 1961, a custom initiated by former manager Bill Nicholson.
Given that Spurs are designated as the 'home' team for the match, their kit choice takes precedence over United's. The rationale behind Spurs' all-white kit tradition dates back over six decades, with Nicholson aiming to enhance visibility for his players in stadiums with subpar lighting facilities.
This tradition was inaugurated during an away match against Polish side Gornik. "We just turned up in the dressing room for the game and there was the all-white kit," recalled former Spurs star Cliff Jones.
"No-one said anything; nothing was said to us. We just focused on the game coming up."
Ricky George, reflecting on his apprenticeship days, said: "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," confirmed 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."
United have been no strangers to tweaking their kit as the season progresses.
With a sartorial twist earlier this year, they donned black shorts at Real Sociedad in March. The match ended 1-1 after goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mikel Oyarzabal.
They went back to their classic white shorts for the home leg at Old Trafford, where they celebrated a resounding 4-1 victory fuelled by a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick.
Regardless, United know that the kit is secondary to their overarching desire to claim the Europa League title and clinch a Champions League spot.