Haarlem (Holland), Feyenoord (Holland), PSV Eindhoven (Holland),
AC Milan (Italy), Sampdoria (Italy), Chelsea (England)
Honours
Dutch League Championship: 1984 (Feyenoord)
Dutch FA Cup: 1984
(Feyenoord)
Dutch League Championships: 1986 & 1987 (PSV Eindhoven)
Dutch Footballers of the Year: 1986 & 1987 (PSV
Eindhoven)
European Footballer of the year: 1987
World Club Championship: 1990 (AC Milan)
European Super Cup Winner: 1990 (AC Milan)
European Cups: 1989 & 1990 (AC Milan)
Italian League Championships: 1988, 1992 & 1993 (AC Milan)
Italian Cup: 1994 (Sampdoria)
English FA Cup: 1997 (Chelsea, as manager)
European Championship: 1988 (Holland)
Biography
Ruud Gullit (born September 1, 1962) was a Dutch star football
player of the 80s and 90s. He was European Footballer of the
Year in 1987, and World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and
1989.
He was born in Amsterdam and his career started with Haarlem
before moving to Feyenoord and then PSV Eindhoven. He was taken
to Italy by Silvio Berlusconi, who paid the then record fee of
£6 million for him. Playing for the great A.C. Milan team of the
late 1980s, which starred, among others, fellow countrymen Marco
Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, Italian world class players Paolo
Maldini and Franco Baresi, he helped Milan capture three Serie A
titles and two European Cups (1989, 1990) during Milan's amazing
five year reign from 1988-1992. He was well known for his
heading and jumping ability, among his other creative talents as
an outstanding offensive midfielder. Widely agreed to be one of
the best and most creative players the Netherlands, or as a
matter of fact, the world has ever seen.
He was also one of the core batch of players that led the
Netherlands to the 1988 European Championship title, to date,
the only international title the Netherlands has achieved.
He failed to convert his on-field magic to off-field management
with any lasting success. As player-manager, Gullit took Chelsea
to the F.A. Cup Final in his first post, but was released soon
after.
He was appointed manager of Newcastle United in 1998 where
success was initially promised, with an FA Cup Final appearance
in his first season. The following season, however, results and
fans began to turn against him, and a well-publicised
contretemps with star striker and local hero Alan Shearer did
his survival prospects no favours. He also fell out with
Newcastle captain Robert Lee. Ruud Gullit resigned as manager of
Newcastle United only 5 games into the 2000-2001 season,
following a home defeat to local rivals Sunderland. Popular
opinion had it that he resigned as manager before he was pushed
out. He spent several years limited to occasional football
punditry. Gullit became manager for Feynoord before the start of
the 2004/2005 season, which also was the only one. He resigned
at the end of the season, a season he went through without
achieving any trophies.
