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Ruud Gullit (born as
Ruud Dil, September 1, 1962
in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football coach and former player, who
played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of
the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was
also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. |
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He was named the
European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and the World Soccer Player
of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He was a versatile player, playing in
numerous positions during his career. He last managed the Los
Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer after taking over from Frank
Yallop in November 2007. |
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Club career -
HFC Haarlem
In 1978, he signed professionally for HFC Haarlem
under coach and former West Bromwich Albion F.C. player Barry Hughes.
Gullit made 91 league appearances for Haarlem, scoring 32 goals. Gullit made his debut for the club at just 16 years old, becoming at
the time the youngest player in the history of the Eredivisie. In
his first year at Haarlem they finished bottom of the Eredivisie,
but bounced back the following season winning the Eerste Divisie.
Gullit was named as the best player in the Eerste Divisie that
season. In recognition of his outstanding efforts, 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. In that same season
Gullit scored the goal he would later consider his finest, "Playing
against Utrecht I went past four defenders and then the goalkeeper,
and scored. It was an unforgettable goal for me." Hughes was so
impressed with the young Gullit that he described him as the "Dutch
Duncan Edwards" |
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