Ruud Gullit, the Dutch‑Surinamese former football star, after his professional career.
In the late nineties, during a visit to Amsterdam, I walked
into Makro, once one of Europe’s largest supermarket chains, now long defunct.
The Makro branch in Amsterdam South-East, near Bijlmer, was always busy, always
alive.
However, on that day, something extraordinary happened. As I
turned into one of the aisles, I suddenly found myself face-to-face with Ruud
Gullit, the towering Dutch Surinamese football icon whose name had echoed
across Europe for more than a decade.
His presence was unmistakable: the dreadlocks, the calm
confidence, the aura of a man who had conquered world football. I knew he had
played in Italy, and that connection stirred something deep within me.
Ruud Gullit’s Italian Journey: The Clubs That Shaped an
Era
Ruud Gullit’s time in Italy was not just a chapter in his career; it was a defining era in world football. He joined AC Milan in 1987 for what was then a world-record transfer fee.
In Milan, he became part of the legendary Dutch trio, Gullit,
Marco van Basten, and Frank Rijkaard, who transformed the club into a global
powerhouse.
He won:
• Three
Serie A titles
• Two
European Cups
• Two
Intercontinental Cups
• Two UEFA
Super Cups
His power, elegance, versatility, and intelligence made him
one of the most complete players of his generation. Milan’s dominance in the
late 80s and early 90s can’t be told without his name.
Gullit also played for Sampdoria, first on loan and then
permanently. There, he:
• Won the
Coppa Italia (1993–94)
• Became a
fan favorite for his creativity and leadership
His time in Italy cemented his status as a global star and
earned him the 1987 Ballon d’Or, awarded during his Milan years.
The Moment Italian Returned to Me
Leaving Rome years earlier had slowly eroded my fluency in
Italian. For a decade without anyone to speak with, the language I once loved and
could write began slipping away.
However, seeing Gullit, knowing he had lived and played in
Italy, sparked an impulse. I greeted him and said, half-jokingly,
half-nostalgically:
“Voglio sapere se tu ricordi ancora il tuo italiano, o se io
ricordo ancora il mio.” Meaning “I want to know if you still remember your
Italian, or if I still remember mine.” He laughed warmly, a genuine, disarming
laugh, and replied: “Certo,” meaning “Certainly.”
Then he responded, smooth, natural, effortless, and as he
spoke, something awakened in me. Words I thought I had forgotten began to
return. The rhythm, the melody, the familiarity of the language flowed back
into my mind.
It was as if Gullit had unlocked a door I thought was
permanently closed. After a brief exchange, he nodded politely and continued
his way. However, the impact of that moment stayed with me.
Why This Encounter Still Matters
Meeting Ruud Gullit and talking with him was more than
meeting a football legend. It was a reminder of identity, memory, and the
unexpected ways life reconnects us with our past.
• He
represented Surinamese excellence and his national team, Holland’s (Oranje), on
the world stage.
• He
dominated Italian football and became a symbol of Milan’s golden era.
• He
carried himself with humility despite his global fame, and more importantly, the
conversation in Italian revived a part of me I thought I had lost.
Some encounters last a moment, others last a lifetime;
however, this one will stay with me forever.
