Ronny Deila, in briefs

UPDATE: New York City FC manager Ronny Deila made good on his promise and stripped in front of the crowd at Providence Park after NYCFC won the 2021 MLS Cup.

As New York City FC get ready for the 2021 MLS Cup Final against the Portland Timbers, the burning question on every supporter’s mind isn’t “Will Santi Rodríguez and James Sands return to form?” or “Can Taty Castellanos take control of the game?”

It’s “If NYCFC wins, will Ronny Deila take off his clothes?”

That’s not an idle thought. The NYCFC manager is known for undressing in front of a crowd: In 2009, when he was the manager of Strømsgodset in the Norwegian first division, Deila stripped to his underpants and did pushups next to the goal when the team avoided relegation. In 2013, he guided the team to its first league title in 43 years.

Why does that matter now? According to a Tweet posted in January of last year by supporter Tony Larsen, Deila promised to strip if NYCFC win the MLS Cup.

As we all know, the hearsay in a Tweet from 23 months ago is just as binding as a deal with the devil made at a crossroads. As far as Hudson Rive Blue is concerned, Deila is contractually obligated to shed his clothes should NYCFC win this Saturday.

The question now is: What underpants should Deila wear?

1. Hanes Men’s Boxer Briefs With ComfortFlex

Comfortable and inexpensive, Hanes with ComfortFlex is the boxer briefs of choice for the “It’s showtime!” crews that entertain commuters on crowded New York City subway cars. Nothing says “Bronx-bound 4 train” quite like a Hanes waistband sitting above the top of a pair of jeans. Bonus: Available in light blue

2. Björn Borg Boxers

While not well-known in the United States, Björn Borg underpants are popular throughout Scandinavia: There’s a good chance that Deila is wearing a pair right now. After all, when you think of tennis legend Borg, you think “ball control.” Bonus: Slim European profile

3. NYCFC Thong

Officially licensed by MLS and printed with a team badge, the NYCFC thong in navy lets the people closest to you know the team you support. It might seem uncomfortable for a gentleman, but there’s a tradition of male athletes wearing thongs for key games—while playing for the New York Yankees, Jason Giambi put on a gold thong when he needed to lift himself out of a hitting slump. Bonus: On sale for $9.99

4. NYCFC Boxer Briefs

Also officially licensed by MLS, the heathered-gray NYCFC boxer briefs have a navy waistband printed with “NEW YORK CITY FC” in orange block type. Designed for active days, they’re more modest than the sky-blue NYCFC micromesh compression boxer briefs sold by the NYCFC store. Bonus: Free shipping on orders over $75 with the code MLS75