RUUD GULLIT Born: 1st September 1962 in Amsterdam. Position: Offensive midfield. Caps: Netherlands 66 (1981-1994) / 17 goals League Games: Netherlands 208 (1979-1987) / 94 goals Italy 178 (1987-1995) / 62 goals England 32 (1995-1998) / 3 goals Domestic Cup Games: Dutch Cup 17 (1982-1987) / 17 goals Coppa Italia 21 (1987-1995) / 9 goals English Cup 8 (1995-1998) / 1 goal International Club Cup Games: European Champions’ Cup 22 (1984-1995) / 6 goals UEFA Cup 8 (1983-1988) / 2 goals European Super Cup 1 (1990) / 2 goals Intercontinental Cup 1 (1990) / 0 goal European Footballer of the Year: 1986 (17th), 1987 (winner), 1988 (2nd), 1989 (7th), 1991 (21st), 1993 (12th) Dutch Footballer of the Year: 1984, 1986 Trophies & Tournaments: World Cup winner: - World Cup participation: 1990 European Championship winner: 1988 European Championship participation: 1988, 1992 European Champions’ Cup winner: 1989, 1990 European Champions’ Cup beaten finalist: 1993 European Cup Winners Cup: – UEFA Cup: - Dutch Champion: 1984, 1986, 1987 Dutch runner-up: 1983 Dutch Cup winner: 1984 Dutch Cup beaten finalist: - Italian Champion: 1988, 1992, 1993 Italian runner-up: 1990, 1991 Italian Cup winner: 1994 Italian Cup beaten finalist: 1990* Italian Super Cup winner: 1992, 1994 English Champion: - English runner-up: - English Cup winner: 1997 English Cup beaten finalist: - * = did not play Ruud Gullit began his career at the small Dutch club of Haarlem in 1979 and soon established himself as a bright prospect. In his first season Haarlem finished bottom of the Eredivisie, but thy bounced back the following season winning the Eerste Divisie with ease. 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. Gullit though was ready for bigger and better things and in 1982 Feyenoord swooped on the youngster. His first season at the Rotterdam giants saw them finish second the next year he helped them to a league and cup double. Gullit was rewarded for his efforts by being named Dutch footballer of the year in 1984. In 1985 Gullit was again on the move, this time to PSV Eindhoven and immediately took them to back to back titles as well as twice being name Dutch footballer of the year. In 1987 Gullit moved abroad, to AC Milan for a world record fee of £5.5 million. While he was winning the Italian title, and being named European player of the year, his former PSV team-mates were becoming champions of Europe. The summer of 1988 was perhaps Gullit’s defining moment, although at times it looked like it might be a very different story. The Dutch lined up in what appeared the easier of the two groups, joined by England, the Republic of Ireland and the USSR. Holland opened against the USSR and were defeated by a Rats goal early in the second half. In the second game against England Marco Van Basten proved Holland’s saviour as he scored a hat-trick. Holland went into the final group game against Ireland knowing that thry had to win to ensure progress. What may at the outset have seemed a relatively straightforward task was made hard work of by the Dutch and it took a late Wim Kieft goal to see off Jack Charlton’s men. The semi-final was a remarkable game, not only for what happened on the pitch. While the game was held against the hosts West Germany, such was the passion of the Dutch fans that Lothar Mattheus later admitted it had been similar to an away game. Mattheus himself put the Germans ahead with a penalty, before Ronald Koeman pulled one back of his own. In the end it fell to Van Basten to save the day and he slid in to hook the ball into the West German net and see Holland adavance to the final at the expense of their most bitter rivals. The final against the Soviet Union saw Holland start slowly and the Dutch were under pressure early on. However, they forced their way into it and Gullit broke the deadlock with a 33rd minute header. The game is widely remembered for a moment of genius from Marco Van Basten as he volleyed past Dasaev. The Dutch were champions, their first success making up in part for the two WC failures of the previous decade. Ruud gullit was thus the first Dutch captain to hold aloft international silverware. In the next season Gullit was at his imperious best as he led Milan to the European Cup emulating his old club PSV. The final was a one sided affair as Milan thrashed Steau Bucharest 4-0. Gullit himself scored two goals while his compatriot Marco Van Basten also hit a brace. Gullit’s 1989/90 season was devastated by a knee injuty that threatened toend his career. He was only able to play 2 league games, but was back for the European Cup final against Benfica. Milan retained their crown, this time another Dutchman Frank Rijkaard got the only goal. Going into the World Cup many people made the Dutch favourites to add a global crown to their European success. Bizarrely, the Dutch were again grouped with England are the Republic of Ireland, but this time Egypt made up the quartet. Holland started against Egypt and were expected to win handsomely. They went ahead through a great goal from Wim Kieft following an inspired dummy by Rijkaard. However, the Egyptians struck back with a penalty following Van Breukelen’s error and the goal ended in a draw. In the game with England neither team could break the deadlock and it wimpered out into a scoreless draw. Holland went into the final group game against Holland, still far from certain of qualification. This time Gullit produced a mesmeric dribble and drilled the ball into the back of the net. This was the Gullit of old and many considered it a sign that Holland were about to retrun to their previous sparkling form. However, following a long punt downfield by Bonner, Van Breukelen spilt the ball and Quinn was able to tap in and gain a point for the Irish. Luckily for Holland, England beat the Egyptians, and Holland went through in joint second place. In the second round they were drawn against their old enemies West Germany. The Germans though breezed through, and Holland sole reward was a Ronald Koeman penalty following a non-existant foul on Van Basten. The game had been marred by a disgraceful encounter between Rijkaard and Voller which saw both men sent off. Gullit returned to Italy and continued his success with two more tiles, including an undefeated season in 1991-2. At the 1992 European Championships in Sweden the Dutch were again well fancied. They opened against Scotland and Gullit was again to the fore making Dennis Bergkamps goal with an inspired pass. Then followed a goalless draw with the CIS. The final group game pitted the Dutch yet again against the Germans. The Dutch prevailed 3-1 thanks to goals by Rijkaard, Witschge and Bergkamp. In the semi-final the Dutch met the Danes, who had not even qualified for the tournament and had only stepped in as a late replacement for Yugoslavia. Henrik Larson twice put the Danes in front but they were pegged back by Dennis Bergkamp and a late scrambled goal by Rijkaard. The match went into extra–time but no winner could be found and the match went into penalties. Van Basten remarkably capped an anonymous tournament with a missed penalty and the Dutch were out. While Milan reached the final of the European Cup in 1993, Gullit was unable to hold down a place and missed the game. In 1994 Gullit provoked the fury of the Dutch people by pulling out of the sqyad for the World Cup just weeks before it commenced. It was another chapter in the long story of Dutch infighting and weakened what was a potentially very strong side. After two short spells at Sampdoria, Gullit moved to Chelsea in England where he played as a libero. Following Glenn Hoddle’s departure he was named manager, before moving to Newcastle. Season - Club - League----Games – Goals 1979/80 FC Haarlem.................24 / 04 1980/81 FC Haarlem.................Second Division 1981/82 FC Haarlem.................31 / 14 1982/83 Feijenoord Rotterdam...33 / 08 1983/84 Feijenoord Rotterdam...33 / 15 1984/85 Feijenoord Rotterdam...19 / 07 1985/86 PSV Eindhoven.............34 / 24 1986/87 PSV Eindhoven.............34 / 22 1987/88 AC Milan.....................29 / 09 1988/89 AC Milan.....................19 / 05 1989/90 AC Milan.....................02 / 00 1990/91 AC Milan.....................26 / 07 1991/92 AC Milan.....................26 / 07 1992/93 AC Milan.....................15 / 07 1993/94 Sampdoria Genoa.........31 / 15 1994/95 AC Milan.....................08 / 03 1994/95 Sampdoria Genoa.........22 / 09 1995/96 Chelsea FC..................14 / 02 1996/97 Chelsea FC..................12 / 01 1997/98 Chelsea FC..................06 / 00 International Club Games 1983/84 Feijenoord Rotterdam.ECIII....04 / 01 1984/85 Feijenoord Rotterdam.ECI......02 / 00 1985/86 PSV Eindhoven...........ECIII....02 / 01 1986/87 PSV Eindhoven...........ECI......00 / 00 1987/88 AC Milan...................ECIII....02 / 00 1988/89 AC Milan...................ECI......08 / 05 1989/90 AC Milan...................ECI......01 / 00 1990/91 AC Milan...................ECI......04 / 01 1992/93 AC Milan...................ECI......04 / 00 1994/95 AC Milan...................ECI......03 / 00
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