His first club as a professional player was HFC Haarlem, which he took (1981–2 season) to a historical 4th place and qualification for Europe. Turned down by English sides Arsenal and Ipswich Town, (Neill and Bobby Robson) Gullit therefore moved to Feyenoord in 1982, for a fee of £300,000. At Feyenoord Gullit played along legend Johan Cruijff. Both players boosted the atmosphere and results of the Rotterdam side. Gullit helped in winning the league and cup double, and was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. In 1985 he moved to PSV to score 46 goals in 68 league appearances, as he led the team to capture the Dutch title. In Eindhoven he became a player who had an impact on team players and staff, always offering his personal opinion flat out.
The dreadlocked appearance caught the eye of Silvio Berlusconi’s A.C. Milan. In 1987 the Italians would pay the then world record transfer fee of £6 million. Other glorieus moment followed when he won the European Footballer of the Year award in 1987 which he dedicated to Nelson Mandela. At Gullit's first season at Milan, they won the Scudetto for the first time in 9 years and went on to add the European Cup to their list of honours. Steaua Bucharest was slaughtered 4-0 in the 1989 final, Gullit scoring two crucial goals. The following year Milan retained the trophy as they defeated Benfica. In the 1993/4 season he moved to Sampdoria and scored the winner in a 3-2 victory over AC Milan, when serving under manager Sven Goran Erikson. In 1995, he signed for Chelsea, where he finally enjoyed football to the fullest.
Gullit was one of the key players for the Netherlands helping his country win the Euro 88, opening the score in the final against the the Soviet Union. In 1993 Gullit and Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat began a long running dispute. Advocaat's decision to play Gullit on the right-side of midfield, in a game against England at Wembley was refused by the Dutch star. Shortly before the 1994 World Cup, Gullit walked out of pre-tournament training camp and would never play international football again.
In 1996, when Hoddle led Chelsea, Gullit was appointed as a player-manager. The Dutchman guided Chelsea to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, the club's first major trophy in 26 years. The first won by a non-British manager. The following season, with Chelsea in second place in the Premiership and proceeding to the quarterfinals in two cup competitions, he was sacked. After Gullit's controversial sacking, chairman Ken Bates famously said of Gullit - "I didn't like his arrogance - in fact I never liked him".
In 1998, he was named manager of Newcastle United, with an FA Cup final appearance in his first year. Shortly later, fans began to turn against him, and after a political controversy with star striker and local hero Alan Shearer and captain Robert Lee, Gullit resigned in 1999.
After a disappointment at Feyenoord in the 2004/2005 season, Ruud Gullit became head coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy, in 2007. His $2 million per year salary was the highest ever given to an MLS head coach. After rumours and living the LA Glamour life he was fired in august 2008 after a seven-game winless streak.
His last club as a trainer was, FC Terek Grozny, a club in the explosive outback of Russia. Standing next to Ramzan Kadyrov (who is seen as a terrorist heading the Chechen totalitatarian regime), Gullit stated: "I'd like to believe that I can bring joy into the lives of the Chechen people through football [...] Of course, I won't deny that I'm getting lots of money from Terek.” Gullit was sacked by the club 5 months later, having only won 3 games. Gullit was often spottend in Russian nightlife accompanied by questionable people.
The past month Gullit was named as for a position as a national manager for the Netherlands. Especially by Ruud himself. The charismatic person raised too many question marks. As a player he convinced, as a manager there was always an air of conflicts, glamour and arrogance.
At this moment Ruud is looking for a new goal, using Twitter to stay on the national radar. A radar he is definitely on, helped by his third wife Estelle, niece of Johan Cruyff.
In june 2012 Estelle filed for divorce when she noticed he placed bugs in their house. After cheating on his wife frequently during the past 16 years she left him for kickboxer and K1 fighter, Badr Hari. Hari was convicted for fysical abuse and just recently official suspect for beating two persons cripple.
But Ruud is moving on: the globetrotter has to be in the limelight surrounded by obscure individuals. Latest gossip: "Il Tulipan Negro" might become national manager for Afghanistan.
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