Ruud Gullit

Dutch legend who led Chelsea to FA Cup glory as player-manager.

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Ruud Gullit (born Rudi Dil on 1 September 1962) is a Dutch former professional footballer and manager. Known for his ability to play multiple positions, he won the 1987 Ballon d'Or and was a long-time Netherlands national team captain, leading them to the UEFA Euro 1988 title.

Quick Facts

Birth name: Rudi Dil
Born: 1 September 1962
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height: 1.91 m / 6 ft 3 in
Position: Midfielder
Total caps: 470
Total goals: 174

Lore & Background

Gullit moved from PSV to AC Milan in 1987 for a world record transfer fee, joined by compatriots Marco van Basten and, a year later, Frank Rijkaard. They won two Scudetti and two European Cups together, Rijkaard having missed out on the 1987–88 Serie A title. Individual awards would inevitably follow especially for Gullit when, in addition to the Ballon d'Or, he was named World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. In 1995, Gullit signed for Chelsea and was appointed the club's player-manager a year later.

In his managerial debut season, he led Chelsea to FA Cup success, the club's first major title for 26 years, and in doing so, became the first overseas manager to win the FA Cup. Aside from the victorious Euro 1988 campaign, Gullit also represented the Netherlands at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and Euro 1992. In 2004, Gullit was named one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebration.

Reader's Guide

Gullit was born as Rudi Dil in Amsterdam to George Gullit, a Surinamese emigrant who arrived in the Netherlands with Frank Rijkaard's father Herman Rijkaard, and Dutch mistress Ria Dil from the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. He developed his football skills in the confines of the Rozendwarsstraat, and street football was instrumental in his formative years. Gullit's first team were the Meerboys, where he joined as a junior in 1970. At the age of ten, he moved from the Jordaan to Amsterdam Old West where he played street football alongside Rijkaard.

Gullit joined the DWS club after his move, and came to the attention of the Dutch youth team. It was during his time at DWS that Gullit first took to using his father's surname, rather than his registered surname (from his mother), as he thought Gullit sounded more like a footballer. He signed his first professional contract for HFC Haarlem on 22 September 1978, making his debut at 16 years and 11 months old, becoming at the time the youngest player in Eredivisie history.

He moved to Feyenoord in 1982, then to PSV in 1985, and signed for AC Milan in 1987. In 1995, Gullit signed for Chelsea.