Ruud Gullit

AC Milan's dreadlocked Dutch forward — Ballon d'Or winner in 1987 and part of one of the most celebrated club sides in history.

Ruud Gullit was born in Amsterdam in 1962 to a Surinamese father and Dutch mother, and developed at Haarlem and Feyenoord (1982–1985) before PSV Eindhoven (1985–1987). AC Milan signed him for a then world-record fee in 1987 and he won 2 European Cups (1989, 1990) and 3 Serie A titles across two spells (1987–1993, 1994–1995). Sampdoria (1993–94), Chelsea (1995–97) and Newcastle (1998) followed. He earned 66 Netherlands caps scoring 17 goals, captaining them to the 1988 European Championship — scoring twice in the final against the Soviet Union. He covered 10.9 km per game with a top speed of 32.6 km/h. He scored 266 career goals and 202 assists across 658 appearances. He won the Ballon d'Or in 1987. He played across forward, midfield and sweeper positions — his versatility was as remarkable as his talent. He became Chelsea player-manager in 1996 and won the FA Cup in 1997 — the club's first major trophy in 26 years. He later managed Newcastle and Feyenoord. He was FIFA World Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989.

Versatile attacking midfielder/striker with exceptional technical ability, aerial prowess, and leadership qualities who could play anywhere on the pitch

Revolutionary player who epitomized Dutch Total Football, seamlessly playing multiple positions and inspiring a generation with his technical brilliance and leadership

• European Cup 1989, 1990 (AC Milan)
• Serie A 1988, 1992, 1993 (Milan)
• Eredivisie 1984, 1985 (Feyenoord), 1986, 1987 (PSV)
• European Championship 1988 (Netherlands)
• Ballon d'Or 1987

Club Career

Club	Period	Apps	Goals	Shirt
Meerboys	1978–1979	—	79	#10
AC Milan	1987–1993	140	32	#10
PSV Eindhoven	1985–1987	158	38	#10
HFC Haarlem	1979–1982	91	32	—
Feyenoord	1982–1985	85	30	—
Chelsea	1995–1998	61	4	—
Sampdoria	1993–1994	31	15	—
Netherlands	—	66	17	—