Ruud Gullit
Personal information
Full name	Ruud Dil Gullit
Date of birth	September 1, 1962 (1962-09-01) (age 45)
Place of birth	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Defender/Midfielder/Striker
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1979-1982 1982-1985 1985-1987 1987-1993 1993-1994 1994-1995 Nov.94-95 1995-1998	HFC Haarlem Feyenoord PSV AC Milan Sampdoria AC Milan Sampdoria Chelsea Total 1979-1998	091 0(32) 085 0(30) 068 0(46) 117 0(35) 031 0(16) 008 00(3) 022 00(9) 032 00(4) 465 (175)
National team
1981-1994	Netherlands	066 0(17)
Teams managed
1996–1998 1998–1999 2004–2005 2007–	Chelsea Newcastle United Feyenoord Los Angeles Galaxy
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals) If you hold the copyright to an image (e. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Amsterdam (disambiguation). ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ... The Midfield in relation to the football positions In association football, a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders (highlighted in blue on the diagram). ... Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, and formerly inside forwards, are the players on a team in football in the row nearest to the opposing teams goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. ... HFC Haarlem is a Dutch football club. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... PSV redirects here. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English professional football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, who currently play in the Premier League. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Galaxy, The Gs, Los Galacticos de Los Angeles, Stadium The Home Depot Center (HDC) Carson, CA Coach vacant[1] Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG) First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 1...

Ruud Gullit (help· info) (born September 1, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football coach and former player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a member of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He was a versatile player, playing in numerous positions during his career. He is currently the Head Coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer after taking over from Frank Yallop in November 2007. Image File history File links Nl-Ruud_Gullit. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Amsterdam (disambiguation). ... A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... In sports, a coach or manager is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of an athletic team or of individual athletes. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... First international Belgium 1 - 4 Netherlands (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905) Biggest win Netherlands 9 - 0 Finland (Solna, Sweden; 4 July 1912) Netherlands 9 - 0 Norway (Rotterdam, Netherlands; 1 November 1972) Biggest defeat England Amateur 12 - 2 Netherlands (Darlington, England; 21 December 1907) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1934... Ruud Gullit lifts the trophy after winning the cup with the Netherlands The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 88) final tournament was held in West Germany. ... The 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th staging of the World Cup, was held in Italy from June 8 to July 8. ... The Ballon dOr trophy, as awarded to Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1987 throughout the world. ... Since 1982, the magazine World Soccer has its readers select winners for awards in three categories: Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Team of the Year. ... The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1987 throughout the world. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Galaxy, The Gs, Los Galacticos de Los Angeles, Stadium The Home Depot Center (HDC) Carson, CA Coach vacant[1] Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG) First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 1... ... Frank Walter Yallop (born April 4, 1964 in Watford, England) is a former English-Canadian footballer, and the current manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy. ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Early life

Gullit was born Ruud Dil in Amsterdam to George Gullit, an Afro-Surinamese migrant, married with three children, and his buitenvrouw Ria Dil from the Amsterdam Jordaan inner city district. The family lived in one split level room on the top floor of a small apartment building. Gullit's father worked as an economics teacher at a local school, his mother as a cleaner at the Rijksmuseum. For other uses, see Amsterdam (disambiguation). ... Motto Justitia - Pietas - Fides(Latin) Justice - Piety - Loyalty Anthem God zij met ons Suriname Capital (and largest city) Paramaribo Official languages Dutch Demonym Surinamese Government Constitutional democracy  -  President Ronald Venetiaan Independence from the Netherlands   -  Date November 25, 1975  Area  -  Total 163,820 km² (91st) 63,251 sq mi   -  Water (%) 1. ... Buitenvrouw (literally outside wife) is a Surinamese Dutch word for a mistress. ... Location of the Jordaan in Amsterdam The Jordaan is a district of the city of Amsterdam in The Netherlands. ... The Rijksmuseum Rembrandt van Rijn: The Night Watch 1642 Johannes Vermeer: Milkmaid 1658-1660 Frans Hals: Portrait of a Young Couple The Rijksmuseum (IPA: ; Dutch for National Museum) is a national museum of the Netherlands, located in Amsterdam on the Museumplein. ...

Gullit developed his football skills in the confines of the Rozendwarsstraat, street football was instrumental in his formative years. Gullit's first team were the Meerboys, where he joined as a junior in 1970. However, at the age of 10 Gullit moved from the Jordaan to Amsterdam Old West where he played street football alongside Frank Rijkaard. Gullit joined the DWS club after his move, and came to the attention of the Dutch youth team, where he played alongside such future greats as Erwin Koeman, Ronald Koeman and Wim Kieft. Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard (born September 30, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. ... Erwin Koeman (born September 20, 1961 in Zaandam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. ... Ronald Koeman (born March 21, 1963 in Zaandam) is a former Dutch football defender and current manager of PSV Eindhoven. ... Wim Kieft played for Ajax Amsterdam, PSV, Pisa and the National team of the Netherlands. ...

It was during his time at DWS that Ruud first took to using his father's surname, rather than his registered surname, as he thought it sounded more like a football player.^[1] He retained his mother's surname, officially, and continues to sign all contracts as Ruud Dil.

Club career

HFC Haarlem

In 1978, he signed professional forms for HFC Haarlem under coach and former West Bromwich Albion F.C. player Barry Hughes. Gullit made 91 league appearances for Haarlem, scoring 32 goals. Gullit made his debut for the club at just 16 years old, becoming at the time the youngest player in the history of the Eredivisie.^[2] In his first year at Haarlem they finished bottom of the Eredivisie, but bounced back the following season winning the Eerste Divisie. Gullit was named as the best player in the Eerste Divisie that season.^[3]in recognition of his outstanding efforts. In the 1981-2 season Gullit was in fine form as Haarlem finished 4th and qualified for Europe for the only time in their history. In that same season Gullit scored the goal he would later consider his finest, "Playing against Utrecht I went past four defenders and then the goalkeeper, and scored. It was an unforgettable goal for me."^[4] Hughes was so impressed with the young Gullit that he described him as the "Dutch Duncan Edwards".^[5] HFC Haarlem is a Dutch football club. ... West Bromwich Albion Football Club (also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or W.B.A.) are an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands. ... The Eredivisie (English: Honorary Division) is the highest football league in the Netherlands. ... The Eerste Divisie is an division for clubs who are relegated from the Eredivisie,but the champion of the Eerste Divisie promotes to the Eredivisie,and the clubs who ended position 2-7 play Nacompetitie,and the number 1 of the group also promotes to the Eredivisie. ... Duncan Edwards (October 1, 1936 - February 21, 1958) was an English international footballer. ...

Feyenoord

In 1982, he moved to Feyenoord, for a fee of £300,000, where he made 85 league appearances, scoring 30 goals. At Feyenoord Gullit found himself playing alongside Dutch legend Johan Cruijff, while the assistant manager was Wim van Hanegem, and they were to leave a lasting impression. Gullit's first season ended saw Feyenoord miss out on major honours, but the following year they completed the league and cup double. Gullit was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in recognition of his contribution to Feyenoord's success. At Feyenoord Gullit occupied an increasingly advanced role in midfield, having played predominantly as a sweeper at Haarlem.^[6] While at Feyenoord Gullit became the focus of a race row as manager Thijs Libregts was alleged to have referred to Gullit as "blackie" and criticised him for being lazy, though Libregts defended himself by claiming that it was merely a nickname.^[7] Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... Hendrik Johannes Cruijff ( ) - often spelled Cruyff outside the Netherlands; see IJ (digraph)); born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager/coach and former player. ... Willem (Wim) van Hanegem (born February 20, 1944) is a Dutch football player and coach. ... Thijs Libregts (* 4 January 1941 in Rotterdam) is a Dutch football coach and former player, who played professionally in the 1950s. ...

PSV Eindhoven

In 1985 he moved to PSV for ƒ1.2 million (£400,000), for whom he scored 46 goals in 68 league appearances. Gullit was again named Footballer of the Year in 1986 as he helped PSV capture the Eredivisie crown, a feat they repeated the following year. It was at PSV that Gullit really began to establish himself as a world class footballer and his distinctive, dreadlocked appearance made certain that he would catch the eye of Europe's biggest clubs. Gullit was singled out for criticism from large numbers of Feyenoord supporters, who branded him a "wolf" as they accused him of moving to Eindhoven for money.^[8] PSV redirects here. ...

A.C. Milan

Silvio Berlusconi signed Gullit for AC Milan in 1987, paying the then record fee of ƒ17 million ((€7.7 million, £6million)) as a replacement for Ray Wilkins. Among his teammates at that club were compatriots Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, along with Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi. When he arrived at Milan, Gullit initially struggled to settle as he spoke no Italian and was unused to living in a foreign country.^[9] However, Gullit's first season at Milan saw the club win Lo Scudetto for the first time in 9 years, under coach Arrigo Sacchi. He was initially used on the right of an attacking trio alongside Van Basten and Pietro Virdis, but after an injury to Van Basten it was changed to a front two. The following season Milan built on their domestic success by adding the European Cups to their list of honours. Their scintillating 5-0 demolition of Real Madrid in the semi-final second leg came at a cost, as Gullit suffered an injury and required surgery to be fit in time for the final. That performance was followed by a 4-0 victory over Steaua Bucharest in the 1989 final with Gullit scoring two crucial goals. The following year Milan retained the trophy as they defeated Benfica in the 1990 final.   (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Raymond Colin Wilkins MBE (born September 14, 1956 in Hillingdon, Middlesex) was an English football player, and now a highly respected coach and TV pundit and is the brother of Brighton & Hove Albion manager Dean Wilkins. ... Marcel Marco van Basten (October 31, 1964 in Oog in Al, Utrecht) is a Dutch football manager, currently in charge of the Dutch national team. ... Paolo Maldini (born June 26, 1968 in Milan) is an Italian footballer who plays for A.C. Milan. ... Franco Baresi (born May 8, 1960 in Travagliato, province of Brescia) is an Italian youth team coach and former football defender with A.C. Milan, acknowledged as one of the greatest defenders ever to play the game. ... This article is about the Italian football league. ... Arrigo Sacchi (born 1 April 1946 at Fusignano) is a former manager of the Italy national football team (1991 - 1996), and twice manager of A.C. Milan (1987 - 1990, 1996 - 1997). ... European Cup redirects here. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... Categories: Romanian football clubs | Stub | Bucharest ... The season 1988-89 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the third time by AC Milan decisively in the final against former winners Steaua BucureÅŸti. ... Benfica is a civil parish of the Portuguese capital, Lisboa (Lisbon). ... The season 1989-90 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the fourth time by AC Milan in the final against two-times former winners SL Benfica. ...

Gullit's exploits with first PSV and then Milan helped him win the European Footballer of the Year award in 1987 which he dedicated to Nelson Mandela.^[10] However, serious injuries sustained to the ligaments of his right knee limited Gullit's playing time and he managed just 2 domestic games in the 1989-90 season. The Ballon dOr trophy, as awarded to Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. ... For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela. ... In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures:[1] Fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones. ...

In 1990-1 Milan's pursuit of a third consecutive European Cup was cut short by Olympique de Marseille at the semi-final stage. Having drawn the first leg at the San Siro, Milan trailed to a Chris Waddle goal with little time remaining when the floodlights went out. After a short delay the lighting was restored, but Milan had returned to their dressing room and refused to return to complete the game. UEFA awarded Marseille a 3-0 victory and expelled Milan from all European competitions for the following season. Olympique de Marseille (also known as lOM or Marseille) is a football team that plays in Ligue 1, the top level of the French Football League, based in Marseille. ... Christopher Roland Waddle (born December 14, 1960 in Heworth, Gateshead) is an English former footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. ...

While Milan continued their domestic dominance by winning Serie A in both 1991-2 (a season in which they did not lose a single game in the league) and 1992-3, Gullit's position was an increasingly peripheral one. This was demonstrated by his omission from the UEFA Champions League Final 1993 final as under the UEFA rules clubs were only allowed to field 3 foreigners. This article is about the Italian football league. ... The 1993 UEFA Champions League final was a football match between French club Olympique de Marseille and Italys AC Milan, played on May 18, 1993 at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany. ...

U.C. Sampdoria

After his retirement from international football in 1993, Gullit moved to Sampdoria with chairman Paolo Mantovani being instrumental in persuading him to join. He was handed the number 4 shirt, as his regular number 10 was occupied by local hero Roberto Mancini. Gullit led the club to victory in the final of the 1993/1994 Italian Cup and scored the winner in a 3-2 league victory over old club Milan as Samp finished a creditable 3rd in Serie A. His performances were so impressive that Milan re-signed him in 1994, but after little playing time he returned to Sampdoria to finish the 1994/95 season. Samp finished 8th in 1994-5, missing out on UEFA Cup football to Napoli who pipped them by a point. Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Roberto Mancini (born November 27, 1964) is an Italian football coach and former player. ... The Coppa Italia Trophy - Coppa in Italian meaning Cup representing the Tournaments title. ... Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as simply Napoli or the abbreviation SSC Napoli, is an Italian professional football club based in Naples, Campania that was originally founded in 1904. ...

Chelsea F.C.

In July 1995, he signed for Chelsea on a free transfer. At the time Chelsea were a mid-table team, whose most notable recent achievement was reaching the 1994 FA Cup final. Initially played as sweeper by manager Glenn Hoddle with limited success, Gullit was moved to his more familiar role in midfield, where he scored six goals. The signing of Gullit, alongside the likes of Mark Hughes and Dan Petrescu, propelled Chelsea to the semi-final of the FA Cup but their league form was disappointing. Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Glenn Hoddle (born October 27, 1957 in Hayes, London) is a football manager and former player for Tottenham Hotspur and England. ... This article is about the Welsh footballer. ... Dan Petrescu (born 22 December 1967 in Bucharest, Romania) is a former international football player, whose teams included Steaua BucureÅŸti, English Premiership club Chelsea and the Romanian national side. ...

Gullit's earliest difficulty in England was adapting to the abilities of some of his Chelsea teammates, “I would take a difficult ball, control it, make space and play a good ball in front of the right back, except that he didn’t want that pass. Eventually Glenn said to me, ‘Ruud, it would be better if you do these things in midfield’.”^[11] However, his adjustment was rapid and he ended the season by being named runner-up to Eric Cantona as Footballer of the Year. Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona (born 24 May 1966 in Paris raised in Marseille) is a French former footballer of the late 1980s and 1990s. ...

Gullit has since often stated in interviews that it was in London he enjoyed his career the most and felt happiest.^[12] In moving to Chelsea, Gullit played an important part in the "foreign revolution" as numerous high profile international stars, such as Jurgen Klinsmann and Dennis Bergkamp, joined Premiership clubs and helped to increase its worldwide profile. Jürgen Klinsmann (born July 30, 1964 in Göppingen) is a German football manager and former football player. ... Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp (born May 10, 1969 in Amsterdam) is a retired Dutch professional footballer. ...

National team

In 1981, on his 19th birthday, Gullit made his international debut as a substitute for the Netherlands national team against Switzerland, a game the Dutch lost 2-1. First international Belgium 1 - 4 Netherlands (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905) Biggest win Netherlands 9 - 0 Finland (Solna, Sweden; 4 July 1912) Netherlands 9 - 0 Norway (Rotterdam, Netherlands; 1 November 1972) Biggest defeat England Amateur 12 - 2 Netherlands (Darlington, England; 21 December 1907) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1934...

Gullit's early international career was marred by disappointment as the Dutch failed to qualify for the 1982 FIFA World Cup and Euro 84. The Dutch missed out in 1984 on goals scored as the Spanish trounced minnows Malta 12-1 in their final qualifying game, when they needed an 11 goal victory to qualify. The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th staging of the World Cup, was held in Spain from June 13 to July 11. ... The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 84) final tournament was held in France. ... Look up minnow in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

There was further disappointment in 1986 when the Dutch missed out on qualification at the hands of neighbours Belgium in a play-off. Having lost 1-0 in Belgium, the Dutch appeared to be set for qualification in Rotterdam as they led 2-0 until Georges Grun put the Belgians through on away goals. Georges Grün (born January 25, 1962 in Etterbeek, Belgium) was a talented football defender and is now a TV presenter for the UEFA Champions League matches at RTL TVI. Grün played in three FIFA World Cups for the Belgium national football team (1986, 1990 and 1994). ...

However, Gullit was one of the key players for the Netherlands helping his country win the Euro 88 under coach Rinus Michels. Having lost their opening game of the tournament to the USSR the Dutch beat England and Republic of Ireland to reach the semi-finals. After defeating West Germany 2-1 in Hamburg the Dutch faced the Soviet Union in the final. Gullit opened the scoring with a well-placed header and Marco van Basten scored an incredible volley to cap a 2-0 win. Ruud Gullit was thus the first Dutch captain to hold aloft international silverware. Ruud Gullit lifts the trophy after winning the cup with the Netherlands The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 88) final tournament was held in West Germany. ... Marinus (Rinus) Jacobus Hendricus Michels (February 9, 1928 – March 3, 2005) was a Dutch football player and coach. ... First international  Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win  Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat  Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... This article is about the city in Germany. ...

The Dutch travelled to Italia 90 as one of the favourites, but the team failed to perform as expected. Gullit's knee injuries clearly hampered his play, and his only moment of brilliance was a superb dribble and shot against Ireland which helped the Netherlands qualify for the second round. There they met W Germany in one of the most exciting games of the tournament, though the game was marred by an altercation between Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Voller. The Germans gained revenge for their defeat at Euro 88, by beating the Netherlands 2-1 and going on to win the tournament. Rudi Völler (2004) Rudolf Rudi Völler (born April 13, 1960 in Hanau) was a German football player. ...

1992 saw the Dutch again among the favourites for silverware in Sweden at Euro 92. Gullit appeared in imperious form against Scotland in their opening game of the tournament as he supplied Dennis Bergkamp with an easy goal. But after drawing with Russia and beating Germany, the Dutch suffered a shock exit on penalties to Denmark. The 1992 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 92) final tournament was hosted by Sweden. ... First international Scotland 0–0 England  (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Scotland 11–0 Ireland  (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 February 1901) Biggest defeat  Uruguay 7–0 Scotland (Basel, Switzerland; 19 June 1954) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1954) Best result Round 1, all European Championship Appearances 2 (First... Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp (born May 10, 1969 in Amsterdam) is a retired Dutch professional footballer. ...

In 1993 Gullit and Holland manager Dick Advocaat began what was to be a long running dispute which ultimately ended Gullit's international career. Advocaat's decision to play Gullit on the right-side of midfield, in a game against England at Wembley, rather than his usual central position upset Gullit and this was exacerbated by his substitution for Marc Overmars.^[13] Gullit refused to play for the national team following this but later changed his mind and agreed to return, facing Scotland in May 1994. Shortly before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Gullit walked out of pre-tournament training camp and would never play international football again. Richard Advocaat (born September 27, 1947 in The Hague, Netherlands) is the Dutch coach of the Russian football team Zenit. ... For the new stadium, see Wembley Stadium. ... Marc Overmars (born March 29, 1973 in Emst) is a former Dutch football player. ... Qualifying countries The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. ...

Playing style

Gullit epitomised the ethos of Total Football as he was naturally adept in several positions. His foremost attribute was his athleticism, as he used his strength and speed to great effect, as well as being excellent in the air.^[14] In football (soccer), Total Football is a system where a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another from his team, thus retaining their intended organizational structure. ...

Yet unusually for a man of his stature Gullit also possessed outstanding natural balance and poise that gave a graceful style to his game. Gullit thus combined technical ability with physical presence to become an iconic figure in world football.^[15]

Gullit's brilliance prompted George Best to comment in 1990, "Ruud Gullit is a great player by any standards. He has all the skills. He's not afraid to do things with the ball. And he looks as if he's enjoying every second of it. By my reckoning that's what makes him an even better player than Maradona. Both have the key quality you will find in all the best players: balance. You just can't knock them off the ball. It was the same with Pele, Beckenbauer and Cruyff."^[16] George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish football player best known for his years with Manchester United. ... Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960) is an Argentine former footballer. ... The term Pele can refer to: The Brazilian footballer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento: see Pelé The Ghanian footballer Abédi Pelé The Portuguese footballer Pedro Pele A goddess in Polynesian mythology: see Pele (mythology) The Portuguese word for skin An asteroid, number 2202. ... Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945) is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed der Kaiser (the emperor) because of his elegant style, his leadership qualities, his first name Franz (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the football pitch. ... Hendrik Johannes Cruijff ( ) - often spelled Cruyff outside the Netherlands; see IJ (digraph)); born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager/coach and former player. ...

Managerial career

In the summer of 1996, when Glenn Hoddle left Chelsea to become manager of the England national team, Gullit was appointed as a player-manager. Gullit made a promising start to his managerial career when in the first season as a player-manager he guided Chelsea to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, the club's first major trophy in 26 years. Gullit became the first non-British manager to win the FA Cup. The club also finished at a credible sixth place in the Premiership. The following season, with Chelsea in the second place in the Premiership and proceeding to the quarterfinals in two cup competitions, he was sacked, allegedly for a disagreement with the club's board over the compensation, though Gullit himself disputed this. ^[17] He was replaced by Gianluca Vialli, a man he had helped to bring to the club. First international  Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win  Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat  Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... This article is about the English FA Cup. ... For the Scottish equivalent see Scottish Premier League The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership in England and the Barclays English Premier League or just simply The EPL internationally) is a league competition for football clubs located at the top of the English football league system... Gianluca Vialli (born July 9, 1964 in Cremona) is an Italian football striker and manager. ...

In 1998, he was named manager of Newcastle United F.C., and his managerial career again was on track, with an FA Cup final appearance in his first year. In the following season, fans began to turn against him after a poor run of results, and a well-publicised contretemps with star striker and local hero Alan Shearer and captain Robert Lee did not put him in a favorable light.^[18] Gullit even refused to assign Lee a squad number, giving Lee's number 7 to new signing Kieron Dyer. In a match between Newcastle and local rivals Sunderland following the latter's return to the Premiership, Gullit, to the surprise of many, left the usually starting strikers Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson on the bench. Newcastle lost 2-1, although it was 1-1 when Shearer came on. Gullit resigned three days later, after only five games into the 1999-2000 season.^[19] Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English professional football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, who currently play in the Premier League. ... Alan Shearer OBE (born 13 August 1970 in Gosforth) is a retired professional English footballer who played as a striker for the England national team and Premiership clubs, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. ... Robert Rob Martin Lee (born February 1, 1966 in West Ham, London) is a retired English football player. ... Kieron Courtney Dyer (born 29 December 1978 in Ipswich, England) is an English footballer, currently playing for West Ham United. ... Sunderland Association Football Club (Sunderland AFC or SAFC) is an English Premiership football club, based at the newly-built Stadium of Light in Sunderland, on the River Wear in the North-East of England. ... Alan Shearer OBE (born 13 August 1970 in Gosforth) is a retired professional English footballer who played as a striker for the England national team and Premiership clubs, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. ... Duncan Ferguson (born December 27, 1971 in Stirling) is a Scottish professional football player. ... The FA Premier League 1999-00 season was the eighth season of the FA Premier League, and Manchester United secured their sixth Premiership title. ...

Before the start of the 2004/2005 season, he took charge of Feyenoord, quitting at the end of that season without winning any trophies to be replaced by Erwin Koeman. Feyenoord had finished a disappointing 4th in the Eredivisie, behind Ajax, PSV and AZ. Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... Erwin Koeman (born September 20, 1961 in Zaandam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. ... Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax also referred to as AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... AZ, an initialism for Alkmaar Zaanstreek, is a football club from Alkmaar, the Netherlands. ...

On November 8th, 2007, Ruud Gullit became head coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy, signing a 3-year contract.^[20]

After football

After his spell at Newcastle Gullit spent several years working as a football commentator, having previously coined the term "sexy football" ^[21] during his spell as a BBC pundit during the 1996 European Championship. Gullit used the term to describe teams, such as Portugal at that tournament^[22], who played attractive football with an emphasis on the passing game. The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the mens national football teams governed by the UEFA. Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the European Nations Cup, changing to the name European Football...

By 2006, Gullit had a talk show on Dutch TV, where he has interviewed, amongst others, Nelson Mandela.^[23] When Gullit was named European Footballer of the Year in 1987, he dedicated the award to the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela. At the time Gullit was signed to AC Milan and the Italians raised their eyebrows, “Nelson who?”. Gullit tried to explain and they said, ‘Oh, a footballer with political beliefs’. Gullit has since in interviews told that he met Nelson Mandela after he was released and Mandela said, ‘Ruud, I have lots of friends now. When I was on the inside, you were one of the few’. For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela. ... For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela. ...

Later Gullit visited Robben Island, where Mandela was in prison, and met three fellow-inmates of Mandela. They remembered that Gullit had dedicated his award in 1987 to Mandela and they said they couldn’t believe what Gullit had done, and were sure the football authorities would withdraw the award. Gullit replied in an interview that’s what apartheid did to them, that it made them believe injustice was a normal part of life.

He also appeared as a pundit for ITV during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He is currently an analyst for the UEFA Champions League games on Sky Sports. Independent Television (generally known as ITV, but also as ITV Network) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting... 2006 World Cup redirects here. ... European Cup redirects here. ... Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of 9 channels. ...

Personal life

Gullit has been married three times and has six children:

• Yvonne de Vries - 1984 to 1991: two children, daughters Felicity and Charmayne.
• Cristina Pensa - 1994 to May 2000: two children, son Quincy and daughter Sheyenne.
• Estelle Cruijff - 3 June 2000 - present: She is the niece of Johan Cruyff. They have two children, son Maxim and daughter Joëlle.

This article is about the year. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ...

Sponsors

Gullit was sponsored in 1990 to wear a black and white football boot made by Italian sports brand Lotto. The boot he wore was the Lotto Stadio 90, a boot which was initially created for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the color. ... This article is about the color. ... Football boots, like all footwear, come in various sizes and styles. ... Lotto Sport Italia is an Italian sports apparel manufacturer. ... The 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th staging of the World Cup, was held in Italy from June 8 to July 8. ...

Honours

National team

• 1988 European Championship winner (Netherlands)

Club The 1988 European Football Championship (Euro 88) final tournament was held at West Germany. ...

• 1981 Eerste Divisie winner (Haarlem)
• 1984 KNVB Cup winner (Feyenoord)
• 1984 Eredivisie champion (Feyenoord)
• 1986 Eredivisie champion (PSV Eindhoven)
• 1987 Eredivisie champion (PSV Eindhoven)
• 1988 Serie A Champion (Milan AC)
• 1988 Italian Super Cup winner (Milan AC)
• 1989 UEFA Champions League winner (Milan AC)
• 1989, 1990 European Super Cup winner (Milan AC)
• 1989, 1990 Intercontinental Cup winner (Milan AC)
• 1990 UEFA Champions League winner (Milan AC)
• 1992 Italian Super Cup winner (Milan AC)
• 1992 Serie A champion (Milan AC)
• 1993 Serie A champion (Milan AC)
• 1994 Italian Cup Winner (Sampdoria)
• 1994 Italian Super Cup winner (Milan AC)
• 1997 English F.A. Cup (Chelsea, Player-manager)

Individual The Eerste Divisie is an division for clubs who are relegated from the Eredivisie,but the champion of the Eerste Divisie promotes to the Eredivisie,and the clubs who ended position 2-7 play Nacompetitie,and the number 1 of the group also promotes to the Eredivisie. ... The KNVB Cup is a competition organized by the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) since 1899. ... The Eredivisie (English: Honorary Division) is the highest football league in the Netherlands. ... This article is about the Italian football league. ... The Italian Super Cup or the SuperCoppa Italiana is a pre-season football (soccer) competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year, in August. ... European Cup redirects here. ... The European Super Cup (UEFA Super Cup) is at stake in an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Cup(formally UEFA Cup Winners Cup) and the Champions League. ... 1980-2004 Logo The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Champions League and the South American Copa Libertadores in a match played each year, from 1980... The Italian Super Cup or the SuperCoppa Italiana is a pre-season football (soccer) competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year, in August. ... The Coppa Italia Trophy - Coppa in Italian meaning Cup representing the Tournaments title. ...

• 1987 European Footballer of the Year
• 1987 World Soccer Magazine World Footballer of the Year
• 1989 World Soccer Magazine World Footballer of the Year

The Ballon dOr trophy, as awarded to Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. ... Since 1982, the magazine World Soccer has its readers select winners for awards in three categories: Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Team of the Year. ... Since 1982, the magazine World Soccer has its readers select winners for awards in three categories: Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Team of the Year. ...

Playing stats

^[24] The Union Européenne de Football Association or Union of European Football Associations in English, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... HFC Haarlem is a Dutch football club. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... PSV redirects here. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Associazione Calcio Milan is an Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ...

Managerial stats

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	L	D	Win %
Chelsea		May 10, 1996	February 12, 1998	83	41	24	18	49.39
Newcastle United		August 27, 1998	August 28, 1999	52	18	20	14	34.61
Feyenoord		August 13, 2004	May 22, 2005	45	25	8	12	55.56
Los Angeles Galaxy		November 8, 2007	Present	1	1	0	1	50.0

Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Newcastle United Football Club (also known as The Magpies or The Toon) is an English professional football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, who currently play in the Premier League. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 142nd day of the year (143rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year founded 1995 League Major League Soccer Nickname Galaxy, The Gs, Los Galacticos de Los Angeles, Stadium The Home Depot Center (HDC) Carson, CA Coach vacant[1] Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG) First Game Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1 MetroStars (Rose Bowl; April 13, 1996) Largest Win Dallas Burn 1... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Further reading

Glanville, Brian; Footballers Don't Cry (1999)

Gullit, Ruud; Ruud Gullit: My Autobiography (1998)

Harris, Harry; Ruud Gullit: Portrait of a Genius (1996)

References

BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Gullit's international record (Dutch)
• Ruud Gullit management career stats at Soccerbase
• Gullit's emotional South African journey - fifa.com/worldcup/ - FIFA, 2007 - retrieved 20 July.

v • d • e Netherlands squad - 1990 FIFA World Cup
1 van Breukelen • 2 van Aerle • 3 Rijkaard • 4 R. Koeman • 5 van Tiggelen • 6 Wouters • 7 E. Koeman • 8 Vanenburg • 9 van Basten • 10 Gullit • 11 Witschge • 12 Kieft • 13 Rutjes • 14 van 't Schip • 15 Roy • 16 Hiele • 17 Gillhaus • 18 Fräser • 19 van Loen • 20 Winter • 21 Blind • 22 Menzo • Coach: Beenhakker