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Ruud Gullit

Gullit in 2024

Personal information

Date of birth

1 September 1962 (age 62)

Place of birth

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Height

1.91 m

Playing position

Forward, midfielder, defender

Youth career

1967–1975

ASV Meerboys

1975–1979

DWS

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

1979–1982

HFC Haarlem

(32)

1982–1985

Feyenoord

(30)

1985–1987

PSV

(46)

1987–1994

AC Milan

125

(38)

1993–1994

→ Sampdoria (loan)

(15)

1994–1995

Sampdoria

(9)

1995–1998

Chelsea

(4)

Total

470

(174)

National team

1979

Netherlands U-21

(1)

1981–1994

Netherlands

(17)

Teams managed

1996–1998

Chelsea (player-manager)

1998–1999

2004–2005

2007–2008

2011

Honours

Men's football

Representing Netherlands
UEFA European Championship
Winner	1988 West Germany
Third	1992 Sweden

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Ruud Gullit (born Rudi Dil; 1 September 1962) is a famous Dutch former footballer and manager. He played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He could play as a forward, midfielder, or even a defender. Many people think he is one of the greatest players and midfielders ever.

In 2004, he was named one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers by FIFA. This was part of FIFA's 100th birthday celebration.

Gullit was the captain of the Netherlands national team. He led them to victory at the UEFA Euro 1988 tournament. He also played in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and Euro 1992.

He moved from PSV to AC Milan in 1987. This was for a world record transfer fee at the time. He was nicknamed "the black Tulip". At AC Milan, he was part of a famous Dutch trio with Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard. Gullit won three Serie A titles and two European Cups with Milan.

In 1995, he joined Chelsea. A year later, he became the team's player-manager. In his first season as manager, he led Chelsea to win the FA Cup. This was the club's first major trophy in 26 years. He was also the first manager from outside the UK to win the FA Cup.

Gullit won the Ballon d'Or award in 1987. He was also named the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He was a very flexible player, able to play in many different positions.

Ruud Gullit's Early Life

Ruud Gullit was born as Rudi Dil in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His father, George Gullit, was from Suriname. His mother, Ria Dil, was Dutch. The family lived in a small apartment. Ruud's father was an economics teacher, and his mother worked at the Rijksmuseum.

Gullit learned to play football on the streets of Amsterdam. Street football was very important for him when he was young. His first team was the Meerboys, which he joined in 1970. When he was ten, he moved to a new part of Amsterdam. There, he played street football with Frank Rijkaard.

Gullit then joined the DWS club. He caught the attention of the Dutch youth team. He played alongside future stars like Erwin Koeman and Ronald Koeman. It was at DWS that he started using his father's last name, Gullit. He thought it sounded more like a football player's name.

Amazing Club Career

Starting at HFC Haarlem

On 22 September 1978, Gullit signed his first professional contract with HFC Haarlem. He was coached by Barry Hughes. Gullit played 91 league games for Haarlem and scored 32 goals. He made his debut at just 16 years old, becoming the youngest player in the Eredivisie league at that time.

In his first year, Haarlem finished last in the Eredivisie. But the next season, they won the Eerste Divisie (a lower league). Gullit was named the best player in that league. In the 1981–82 season, Haarlem finished fourth. This meant they qualified for a European competition for the first time ever. Gullit scored a goal that season against Utrecht which he called his best ever. His coach, Barry Hughes, called him the "Dutch Duncan Edwards".

Moving to Feyenoord

English clubs like Arsenal and Ipswich Town were interested in Gullit. But they decided not to sign him. So, Gullit moved to Feyenoord in 1982. He played 85 league games and scored 31 goals there.

At Feyenoord, Gullit played with the legendary Johan Cruyff in his second season (1983–84). That year, Feyenoord won both the league and the cup. Gullit was named Dutch Footballer of the Year for his great performance. He started playing more as an attacking midfielder instead of a defender. While at Feyenoord, Gullit faced some unfair comments about his background. He also faced difficult moments from fans during a game in Scotland in 1983. He called it "the saddest night of my life."

Success at PSV

In 1985, Gullit joined PSV. He scored 46 goals in 68 league games for them. He was named Dutch Footballer of the Year again in 1986. He helped PSV win the Eredivisie league title in both 1986 and 1987. At PSV, Gullit became known as a world-class player. His unique dreadlocked hair also made him stand out.

Joining AC Milan

Gullit signed with AC Milan in 1987 for a record transfer fee. He joined his Dutch teammate Marco van Basten. Later, their friend Frank Rijkaard also joined them. Together, they formed a powerful Dutch trio. Other great players like Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi were also on the team. Gullit won the Ballon d'Or award in 1987. He famously dedicated it to Nelson Mandela, who was in prison at the time.

In his first season at Milan, the club won the Scudetto (Italian league title). This was their first league win in nine years. The next season, Milan won the European Cup. Gullit scored two important goals in the 1989 final against Steaua București, which Milan won 4–0. Milan won the European Cup again in 1990. However, Gullit suffered serious knee injuries around this time. These injuries limited his playing time.

By 1992–93, Gullit's role at Milan became less central. This was partly due to new rules that limited the number of foreign players. He was left out of the 1993 Champions League final. Gullit said that after his injury, he had to change his playing style.

Time at Sampdoria

In 1993, Gullit moved to Sampdoria. He helped them win the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) in the 1993–94 season. He even scored the winning goal against his old club, Milan. Gullit briefly returned to Milan in 1994 but quickly went back to Sampdoria. He scored 15 goals during his time there.

Playing for Chelsea

In July 1995, Gullit joined Chelsea for free. The manager, Glenn Hoddle, first played him as a defender. But Gullit was more successful when he moved to his usual midfield role. He scored six goals that season. Gullit's arrival, along with other international stars, helped Chelsea reach the FA Cup semi-final.

Gullit quickly adapted to the English game. He finished the season as runner-up for Footballer of the Year. He often said that he enjoyed his career the most in London. He felt happiest playing for Chelsea. Gullit helped bring many famous international players to the Premier League. This made the league more popular worldwide.

Playing for the Netherlands

Early International Games

In 1981, on his 19th birthday, Gullit played his first game for the Netherlands national team. It was against Switzerland, and the Dutch team lost 2–1.

Gullit was a key player when the Netherlands won UEFA Euro 1988. This was under coach Rinus Michels. After losing their first game, the Netherlands beat England and Ireland. Gullit helped set up two goals for Van Basten in the 3–1 win against England. In the final, they faced the Soviet Union again. Gullit scored the first goal with a header. Marco van Basten then scored a fantastic volley. The Netherlands won 2–0. Gullit became the first Dutch captain to lift an international trophy.

1990s and Later

Gullit's knee injuries affected his playing time at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. But his dribble and shot against the Republic of Ireland helped the Netherlands reach the second round. They lost to West Germany, who went on to win the tournament.

At UEFA Euro 1992, Gullit played very well. He set up the only goal in their opening game against Scotland. The Netherlands reached the semi-finals but lost to Denmark on penalties.

In 1993, Gullit had a disagreement with Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat. This eventually ended Gullit's international career. He refused to play for the national team after being played out of position and substituted. He later changed his mind and played one more game in 1994. But shortly before the 1994 World Cup, Gullit left the training camp. He never played international football again.

Ruud Gullit's Style of Play

Gullit was a very complete and flexible player. He could play well in many different positions. He was good at both attacking and defending. He worked hard, won the ball, and understood tactics very well. He usually played as an attacking midfielder or a second striker. But he could play anywhere in the midfield or along the front-line. He could even play as a sweeper (a deep defender).

Many people consider him one of the greatest players ever. He was very athletic, strong, and fast. He also had great technique. He was good at heading the ball because he was tall and could jump high. Even though he was big, Gullit was an elegant player. He had amazing balance, poise, and dribbling skills.

Gullit was also smart, creative, and had great vision. These skills helped him score goals and create chances for his teammates. He was also good at taking free kicks. Besides his football skills, Gullit was known for his leadership and determination. However, he struggled with injuries throughout his career.

Life After Playing: Manager and Media

Managing Chelsea

In 1996, Glenn Hoddle left Chelsea to manage the England team. Gullit was then made player-manager for Chelsea. This meant he played and managed the team at the same time. He was the first Dutch manager in the Premier League.

Gullit had a great start as manager. In his first season (1997), he led Chelsea to win the FA Cup. This was their first major trophy in 26 years. He was the first manager from outside the British Isles and the first black manager to win a major British football trophy. Chelsea also finished sixth in the league.

The next season, Chelsea was doing well in the league and cup competitions. But Gullit was fired. It was said to be because of a disagreement about money. He was replaced by Gianluca Vialli, a player Gullit had brought to the club. Vialli then led Chelsea to win two more cups that season.

Managing Newcastle United

In August 1998, Gullit became the manager of Newcastle United. In his first year, they reached the 1999 FA Cup Final. However, he had public disagreements with star players like Alan Shearer and Robert Lee. He even refused to give Robert Lee a squad number. Newcastle lost a big game to local rivals Sunderland. Gullit had left Shearer and Duncan Ferguson on the bench. Newcastle lost 2–1, and Gullit resigned three days later.

Other Managerial Roles

Gullit also managed Feyenoord in the 2004–05 season. He left after one season without winning any trophies. Feyenoord finished fourth in the league.

On 8 November 2007, Gullit became the head coach for the LA Galaxy in the USA. He signed a three-year contract with a very high salary. His time with the Galaxy was difficult. He struggled to adapt to the rules of Major League Soccer. He also had disagreements with players like Landon Donovan. Gullit resigned in August 2008 after a seven-game winless streak.

In 2011, Gullit became the head coach for Terek Grozny, a team in Russia. He said he wanted to bring joy to the people of Chechnya through football. He left the club in June 2011.

Media Career

Gullit has also had a successful career in the media. In 1988, he had a hit song called "South Africa" with the band Revelation Time. It was an anti-apartheid song.

He has also worked as a football pundit (expert commentator) for TV channels like ITV, Sky Sports, and ESPN. He has covered major tournaments like the 2006 World Cup and 2010 World Cup. In 2014, he joined BBC's Match of the Day.

In 2013, Gullit was added to EA Sports's FIFA 14 video game as a "Legend" card. His card is one of the highest rated in the game. He continues to work as an analyst for football coverage, including the UEFA Champions League.

Gullit also had a talk show on Dutch TV. He interviewed Nelson Mandela there. When Gullit won the Ballon d'Or in 1987, he dedicated the award to Mandela. Gullit later met Mandela, who told him that Gullit was one of the few friends he had when he was in prison.

Personal Life

Ruud Gullit is a supporter of the Feyenoord football club. His son, Maxim Gullit, also plays football for Cambuur.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
HFC Haarlem	1979–80	Eredivisie	24	4	0	0	—		—		—		24	4
	1980–81	Eerste Divisie	36	14	5	2	—		—		—		41	16
	1981–82	Eredivisie	31	14	4	2	—		—		—		35	16
	Total		91	32	9	4	—		—		—		100	36
Feyenoord	1982–83	Eredivisie	33	8	2	1	—		—		—		35	9
	1983–84	Eredivisie	33	15	8	9	—		4	1	—		45	25
	1984–85	Eredivisie	19	7	2	0	—		2	0	—		23	7
	Total		85	30	12	10	—		6	1	—		103	41
PSV	1985–86	Eredivisie	34	24	2	3	—		2	0	—		38	27
	1986–87	Eredivisie	34	22	3	4	—		0	0	—		37	26
	Total		68	46	5	7	—		2	0	—		75	53
AC Milan	1987–88	Serie A	29	9	6	3	—		4	1	—		39	13
	1988–89	Serie A	19	5	1	2	—		8	4	0	0	28	11
	1989–90	Serie A	2	0	0	0	—		1	0	0	0	3	0
	1990–91	Serie A	26	7	1	0	—		4	1	3	1	34	9
	1991–92	Serie A	26	7	1	1	—		—		—		27	8
	1992–93	Serie A	15	7	6	4	—		4	0	1	0	26	11
	1994–95	Serie A	8	3	2	0	—		3	0	1	1	14	4
	Total		125	39	17	10	—		24	6	5	2	171	56
Sampdoria	1993–94	Serie A	31	15	10	2	—		—		—		41	17
	1994–95	Serie A	22	9	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	22	9
	Total		53	24	10	2	—		0	0	0	0	63	26
Chelsea	1995–96	Premier League	31	3	7	3	2	0	—		—		40	6
	1996–97	Premier League	11	1	1	0	1	0	—		—		13	1
	1997–98	Premier League	6	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
	Total		48	4	8	3	7	0	0	0	0	0	63	7
Career total			470	175	61	36	7	0	32	7	5	2	575	219

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Netherlands	1981	1	0
	1982	5	1
	1983	6	4
	1984	4	0
	1985	4	0
	1986	6	1
	1987	6	5
	1988	8	2
	1989	2	0
	1990	9	1
	1991	4	1
	1992	8	2
	1993	2	0
	1994	1	0
Total		66	17

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gullit goal.

List of international goals scored by Ruud Gullit
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	22 September 1982	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Republic of Ireland	2–0	2–1	UEFA Euro 1984 qualification
2	7 September 1983	Stadion Oosterpark, Groningen, Netherlands	Iceland	2–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 1984 qualification
3	12 October 1983	Dalymount Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland	Republic of Ireland	1–2	3–2	UEFA Euro 1984 qualification
4	12 October 1983	Dalymount Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland	Republic of Ireland	3–2	3–2	UEFA Euro 1984 qualification
5	16 November 1983	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Spain	2–1	2–1	UEFA Euro 1984 qualification
6	21 December 1986	Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus	Cyprus	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1988 qualification
7	21 January 1987	Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain	Spain	1–0	1–1	Friendly
8	29 April 1987	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Hungary	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1988 qualification
9	14 October 1987	Górnik Stadium, Zabrze, Poland	Poland	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1988 qualification
10	14 October 1987	Górnik Stadium, Zabrze, Poland	Poland	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1988 qualification
11	28 October 1987	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Cyprus	2–0	8–0	UEFA Euro 1988 qualification
12	25 June 1988	Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany	Soviet Union	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1988
13	14 September 1988	Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands	Wales	1–0	1–0	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification
14	21 June 1990	Stadio La Favorita, Palermo, Italy	Republic of Ireland	1–0	1–1	1990 FIFA World Cup
15	17 April 1991	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Finland	2–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1992 qualification
16	27 May 1992	De Baandert, Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands	Austria	3–1	3–2	Friendly
17	16 December 1992	İnönü Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey	Turkey	2–0	3–1	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Managerial Statistics

All competitive league games (league and domestic cup) and international matches (including friendlies) are included.

Team	Nat	Year(s)	Record
Team	Nat	Year(s)	G	W	D	L	Win %
Chelsea		1996–1998	&&&&&&&&&&&&&083.&&&&&083	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.40000049.40
Newcastle United		1998–1999	&&&&&&&&&&&&&052.&&&&&052	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.62000034.62
Feyenoord		2004–2005	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&055.56000055.56
LA Galaxy		2007–2008	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.58000031.58
Terek Grozny		2011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&8000023.08
Career total			&&&&&&&&&&&&0212.&&&&&0212	&&&&&&&&&&&&&093.&&&&&093	&&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047	&&&&&&&&&&&&&072.&&&&&072	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.87000043.87