Ruud Gullit (Amsterdam, 1962) maintains his imposing physical presence – 1.91m – but has long since left behind the curls he shared with Frank Rijkaard, his childhood friend in Oud-West, a multicultural neighbourhood in the Dutch capital. Together with the elegant Marco van Basten, they formed the backbone of the great AC Milan and the Netherlands national team that wowed European football in the second half of the 1980s. Now he is in Madrid as a member of the prestigious Laureus World Sports Academy since 2017.Next week the Champions League semi-finals begin. Which team do you see as the favourite for the title?
In recent years I have always been a fan of Bayern Munich; they play really well. I also like Paris Saint-Germain. So I think the winner will come from that tie.
What about the World Cup?For me, the favorites are France and Spain, although there are other teams, among which I logically hope that the Netherlands will be there.
For me, the favorites for the World Cup are France and Spain. I really like Argentina’s winning mentality but it’s very difficult to win two consecutive titles
Argentina is always there but it is very difficult to win twice in a row – only Italy (1934-1938) and Brazil (1958-1962) have done it. I really like their winning mentality but if you ask me what I think, I repeat that Spain and France are the big favourites.
Who is your favorite player?Lamine Yamal, of course, is fantastic. I also like (Harry) Kane, you know, he scored a lot of goals. We’ll have to see if he can do it with England, I don’t know. I like Pedri, of course, and it will be fantastic to see Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo play in a World Cup again. Mbappe is also going to do very well. Yes, I’m really looking forward to it. There are so many good players!
Pedri is mentioned. Do you like him that much? Look, I don’t think there are many players who have the same thing. The most important thing is not that you are a good player, but that you have the work ethic of a good player, and he has it. He works so hard in midfield. That’s why I like him so much. It’s not just about what you do with the ball, it’s especially about what you do when you don’t have it.
It’s not just about what you do with the ball, it’s especially about what you do when you don’t have it. That’s why I like Pedri so much
Bellingham is a bit more static and that’s why we play a slightly different football. I think he had a similar situation to me with his injury – Gullit had serious problems with his knees, especially the right one. Coming back from such an injury can be difficult because everyone wants you to get back to the level you were before. He was also unlucky because the first year he came he scored a lot of goals but then there were a lot of changes in the team and suddenly he couldn’t do the same as before. He likes to be more offensive, but for various reasons he can’t do that anymore. And it’s not just his fault.
When you won the Ballon d’Or in 1987 you dedicated it to Nelson Mandela, who was at that time in prison. Do you think racism is still a serious problem that is reflected in football?There are a lot of things going on in the world. I remember when I dedicated it to Mandela, people from the ANC (African National Congress) came up to me and said: “You’ve already made your point. Don’t go around talking about this issue. Because the only thing you can do for us is to play well”. And nowadays it is very dangerous for sportsmen to talk about politics, because it will haunt you for the rest of your career. That’s why I understand that players stay a little bit on the sidelines and say: no, I can’t get involved in that.
Nowadays it is very dangerous for sportsmen and women to talk about politics, because it will haunt you for the rest of your career. That’s why I understand that players keep a little bit out of it
You played for AC Milan and Sampdoria so you know Italian football well. What is wrong with it? In my opinion, I think they have lost their essence. An Italian is very proud. His image is everything to him and he defends it at all costs. That’s why their defence was always the best. The last time they won – Euro 2020 – was with Chiellini, Bonucci and a good goalkeeper. And now, I don’t see the defenders they had anymore. That doesn’t mean you have to be stuck to the goal, no. But you need to know how to defend.
Italy has lost its essence. An Italian is very proud. His image is everything and he defends it at all costs. That’s why their defense was always the best. The last time they won – Euro 2020 – was with Chiellini, Bonucci and a good goalkeeper
In our time, everyone talked about Sacchi’s Milan, how great we were and all that. But we practiced defense almost daily, not attack, how to win the ball back. And that’s something they’ve kind of forgotten a little bit. I think they’ve looked at modern tactics, that you have to attack, play and all that. And it only works when you have a good defense. So I think they have to go back to their essence. You don’t have to play catenaccio, but you can play something in between.
Barcelona and Real Madrid complained a lot about the refereeing in their last Champions League ties.They always do.
Do you think they were right? Look, they have nothing to complain about. Both teams in the past have had refereeing performances that have favored them and now they had them against them. That’s part of life and football. That’s hard to understand and I get it. Camavinga’s red was harsh, but it was also stupid on his part. He gave the referee every opportunity to do so. And Barcelona’s two red cards were clear, I’m sorry. VAR left no room for doubt.
Camavinga’s red was harsh, but it was also stupidity on his part. He gave the referee every opportunity to do so. And Barcelona’s two red cards were clear, I’m sorry
I think in those days they played much more as a team and now I see that they rely more on individual talent. They are still strong and their players have technique and presence, but they are up against opponents who work harder, so you can get into trouble. Another example is Barcelona, who also play their own style, with a very advanced attack that leaves a lot of space behind. And they always get caught, always. So therefore, they are two different styles, but with a risk. And then they play against teams that play very hard and everyone runs a lot. And then you have the possibility to beat them.
Football is not honest and it is not always fair. Sometimes you play better, but you still lose and you have to accept it. And you also have to be humble in defeat
If you watch Atletico, they play better against very strong teams. Why? Because they adapt to them in a practical way. Sometimes you think the opponent was much better, but they won the game. In the Copa final they played against a team that was doing the same thing as them, and they lost. Football is not honest and it is not always fair. Sometimes you play better, but you still lose and you have to accept it. And you also have to be humble in your defeats. And it’s difficult for many teams because it’s hard to digest when you play better and don’t win.
Lionel Messi is the only footballer to have won the Laureus award for best ‘international male athlete of the year’. Do you think this is fair? Actually, it’s something I don’t really care about. In fact, I like to see athletes from other sports such as athletics, tennis, gymnastics or Formula 1 being rewarded.
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