Ruud Gullit
Feyenoord's 1983-84 double winner and Dutch Footballer of the Year.
Ruud Gullit, born Rudi Dil on 1 September 1962, is a Dutch former footballer and manager and a Feyenoord supporter. He played for Feyenoord from 1982, later won the 1987 Ballon d'Or and captained the Netherlands to the Euro 1988 title, and returned to manage the club in 2004-05.
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
Reader's Guide
Gullit came from Haarlem, where he had mostly played as a sweeper, and at Feyenoord moved steadily further forward into midfield, scoring 31 goals in 85 league games. His first season brought no major honours, but in 1983-84, with Johan Cruyff in the side and Wim van Hanegem as assistant manager, Feyenoord won the league and cup double and Gullit was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. His spell also had dark moments: manager Thijs Libregts was alleged to have called him 'blackie', and in September 1983 St Mirren supporters racially abused and spat on him during a match in Scotland. As manager in 2004-05 he finished fourth, behind Ajax, PSV and AZ, left at the end of the season without a trophy and was succeeded by Erwin Koeman.
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