Ruud van Nistelrooy has deleted an old post showing him wearing ‘blackface’ at a festival in Spain in 2013 (Credit: Getty Images/Europa Press)

Ruud van Nistelrooy has deleted a historic photo of him doing ‘blackface’ just hours after confirmation of his appointment as Manchester United’s interim manager.

Erik ten Hag’s reign as United manager ended on Monday following last weekend’s controversial defeat against West Ham.

Van Nistelrooy returned to his former club in the summer with a view to providing additional support to his compatriot who, after being given what ultimately turned out to be a stay of execution, was equipped with a new-look backroom team.

It is unclear how many games the 48-year-old will take charge of with United already pressing ahead with talks to hire Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, but Van Nistelrooy was immediately placed on the backfoot and embroiled in controversy.
A picture dating back to 2013 reemerged on social media which showed Van Nistelrooy attending the Parade of the Three Kings in Marbella, dressed up as Middle Eastern king Balthazar, before he removed trace of it.

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

Dutch cultural norms, meanwhile, are a regular source of debate, with Christmas character Zwarte [Black] Piet still present despite associations with the colonial er...