Interim head coach of Manchester United Ruud van Nistelrooy deleted the historic “blackened” photo in a suit

At the time, he posted several photos of his costume, writing: “In the hospital with gifts for young and old.”

However, many social media accounts took offense at the time, with betting website Paddy Power saying: “Ruud van Nistelrooy thought he was doing a good thing by visiting the hospital, but he thought nothing of it…”

In historical texts, Balthazar is traditionally depicted as a black man. In Spain, Three Kings Day is an annual post-holiday celebration held every January.

Meanwhile, Dutch cultural norms are a regular source of debate, and the Christmas character Zwarte (Black) Pete is still around, despite associations with the colonial era.