jumped higher or ran faster, and he could also read the game from many different positions. Though less refined than his contemporary Marco van Basten, he was no slouch on the ball either.
At sixteen, Gullit was already a regular starter for little Haarlem. Charismatic as a film star, often drawing awed stares from opponents, he became Holland’ s captain early in his career. In 1987 Milan bought him from PSV Eindhoven for a world record transfer fee. That year he was named European Player of the Year, and after some prompting, dedicated his prize to the imprisoned Nelson Mandela.
His first season with Milan produced an Italian title, and at the European Championship of 1988 immediately afterward, though worn out and below his best, he helped Holland to the country’ s first-ever prize. He added the European Cups of 1989 and 1990 with Milan.
But like most good Dutch players, Gullit liked a good quarrel. In every team he needed to be the main man. Before the World Cup of 1990, he forced out Holland ' s manager. During the tournament, he quarreled with the team ' s new