When Tottenham and Liverpool take to the pitch on June 1 for the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, Spurs (the designated home team) will do so wearing their historic “Lilywhites” while Liverpool will be outfitted in iconic red. However, more eagle-eyed observers will notice one distinctly different kit on the pitch: that of the referees.
Slovenian ref Damir Skomina and his assistants, Jure Praprotnik and Robert Vukan, will wear the new threads after UEFA agreed to a deal with Italian sportswear company Macron to provide referee uniforms for all UEFA competitions until 2022.
Here’s Skomina wearing what we used to see when a ref was outfitted in neon blue.
![Damir Skomina Damir Skomina](/sites/default/files/GettyImages-990766600.jpg)
Out with the old. Photo: Getty Images
HERE’S THE FUTURE.
![Soccer Referee Jersey Soccer Referee Jersey](/sites/default/files/Soccer-Referee-Jersey.jpg)
Look at the pocket space on those bad boys.
![soccer ref jersey soccer referee jersey](/sites/default/files/HEROES.jpg)
You Will Respect My Authoritah!
As well as having the Macron logo on the chest and shoulders, the new kits show a marked improvement in the one area that matters most for refs — the pockets.
Look how easy the cards slip into those pockets.
![Soccer referee kit Soccer referee kit](/sites/default/files/POCKETSMEPOCKETS.jpg)
"I'm giving you the red card + yellow card special."
“The new jerseys preserve the traditional colors sported by referees: black, neon yellow, neon blue and neon pink. The front of the shirt has a striped design with black details on the crewneck and the sleeve edges (except for the solid black version), and it is accessorized with comfortable front pockets with hook-and-loop fasteners,” says UEFA.