Tottenham Hotspur has had a pretty set colourway when it has come to their home kits and away kits. The white base on the home kit is a classic, and so is a shade of blue on the away kit.
However the latest leaks for their 25/26 away kit suggest a return to black as the primary color. Black has been a rare sight in Spurs’ kit repertoire lately, with purple and blue often dominating designs since Nike took over. In fact the alleged return of the colour marks it’s first appearance since the 2014-15 season with Umbro, where the away kit was black with central yellow accents.
The return to black might have stirred excitement, but the execution of this leaked kit has fans scratching their heads, some even questioning if the designers accidentally drew inspiration from Dan Levy’s spreadsheets.
The kit itself features a black base— a classic colour that, when done right, oozes elegance and beauty. Yet, what could have been a simple, elegant look, seems to have taken an unexpected detour. Over this black base lies a checkered pattern in a shade described as “Lt. Iron Ore” by Footy Headlines.
The subdued grey squares, instead of adding depth to the kit, have drawn comparisons to Microsoft Excel in dark mode. That’s right—fans have likened the pattern to something you’d expect to see during a late-night accounting session rather than on the pitch of a Premier League game.
A detail that can be spotted upon closer inspection that amongst these lines that form the large tiles, the word “Spurs” is written along each line in the centre. While it doesn’t have an outstanding effect, it is a cool idea that can be incorporated into the final kit design.
The rest of the kits sticks to the basics: white sponsors, a white Nike swoosh and the club logo in white as well. Apart from this the neck has a thin line of grey and the checkered pattern abruptly ends at the sleeves, where there is no design.
Fans on social media haven’t held back in their reactions to this half-hearted attempt at a kit leak. One fan quipped, “Levy loves his spreadsheets that much he’s now put it on the shirts,” while another remarked, “Excel dark mode.” One user suggested a look that a few teams in the past have tried, the blackout look.
Interestingly, this isn’t the only leak floating around for the 25/26 season. Another kit leak that did the social media rounds a few weeks back was a half-and-half black design that fans, thanks to it’s retro yet modern look, loved.
It’s hard to deny that the leaked kit lacks the creativity and design language a concept kit or a leak should have, but it’s highly unlikely a kit like this makes it on to the pitch. A return to black is exciting, but only if the execution matches the potential. Until then, the “Excel sheet in dark mode” remains for it’s uncanny resemblance to corporate workplace aesthetics.
