NYSportsDay Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit sat down for a wide-ranging conversation covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup and his thoughts on some of the tournament’s standout performers.
Speaking candidly while watching Portugal’s game against Uzbekistan in the background, Gullit — the only Dutchman to win the Ballon d’Or — offered his assessment of the Netherlands’ tournament prospects, compared Lionel Messi’s World Cup form to Michael Jordan at his peak.
Key takeaways:
- Messi compared to Jordan and Maradona: Gullit placed Messi’s performance at this World Cup in the rarest of company, comparing his ability to control a game to Michael Jordan and Diego Maradona at Mexico ’86 — the only three individuals he’s ever seen operate at that level of total mastery.
- Portugal as dark horse to win the tournament: While naming France as the obvious favourites, Gullit backed Portugal as his dark horse pick, citing their tendency to elevate their performance against stronger opposition and their squad’s mental fortitude under pressure.
- Strong defence of Ronald Koeman: Pushing back on Dutch fan criticism, Gullit firmly backed Koeman’s management, arguing that a slow start is a deliberate tactical choice — you don’t want to show your hand too early, because opponents will adapt their game plans around you.
- Hydration breaks condemned as momentum killers: Gullit was emphatic in his criticism of the mandatory hydration breaks, arguing they fundamentally alter the course of matches by handing coaches a tactical reset and stripping away momentum — pointing to Holland’s 2-0 lead that evaporated after one such pause. He urged UEFA to keep them out of European football entirely.
NYSD: Great to see you again, Ruud. How are you doing?
Ruud Gullit: Pretty good, thanks. Doing my best in this heat.
NYSD: It’s a pleasure to speak with you again. And I should say — you’re still the only man who’s ever won a trophy for the Netherlands, though maybe that’s about to change.
Ruud Gullit: The supercomputer that runs all the calculations has been predicting Holland to win it, so we shall see.
NYSD: It’s been a good start for the Netherlands — five goals against Sweden and a draw against Japan. Do you think teams are just finding their feet in the opening games?
Ruud Gullit: Absolutely. In the first game, every team is trying to figure out where they are fitness-wise, team spirit-wise, all of that. As the tournament progresses, you start to see who they really are. I always hope Holland plays modestly in the early stages but still gets through. The further you progress, the better you play. You don’t want to show all your cards too early, because then other teams start adapting their tactics specifically to counter you. That’s also why everyone hates the drink pause — it completely disrupts the momentum of a game. The crowd hates it too. I really hope UEFA doesn’t introduce it in European competition.
NYSD: Last time we spoke, you mentioned Cody Gakpo as a player to watch. He’s proving you right again.
Ruud Gullit: He is. As I said, you don’t want to peak too early, and I think Gakpo is now finding his groove. Holland are playing really well. The next games will be significantly harder, of course. We expect Holland to beat Tunisia, and after that we could face Brazil or Morocco — two sides playing very well right now.
NYSD: There are quite a lot of Moroccans living in the Netherlands, so that would be quite a fixture.
Ruud Gullit: Oh, if Morocco beat Holland, the country would be in absolute chaos. It’s too small to contain that!
NYSD: Outside of the Dutch players, Lionel Messi has been incredible again. Did he surprise you?
Ruud Gullit: He did, actually. If you watch closely, he conserves his energy beautifully — just waiting in the last quarter of the pitch for the right moment. And every time he comes into a situation, pure genius comes out. That is what it means to be in control of a game. The only other people I’ve seen at that level of control are Michael Jordan and Maradona at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. To have total control like that is truly unbelievable.
NYSD: Cristiano Ronaldo has just scored for Portugal. You mentioned earlier you were hoping he’d get one.
Ruud Gullit: I’m so happy for him! There you go — that’s your answer. I was hoping he’d do it, and he did. And for Portugal’s second goal what I love is that everyone was expecting Ronaldo to shoot, and then Nuno Mendes stepped up and scored instead. Ronaldo was delighted. Now everybody can stop talking. It doesn’t matter that it came against a weaker opponent — a goal gives you confidence and lifts the whole team. He’s a strong character. Now everyone will quieten down.
NYSD: He must have felt some pressure with Mbappé and Haaland scoring for fun.
Ruud Gullit: Of course, that puts enormous pressure on you. But I’m really glad he got that goal.
NYSD: Let’s talk about Crysencio Summerville for the Netherlands. He’s been excellent.
Ruud Gullit: I’ve known him since he was young — my son played in the same youth teams. I followed his development closely and it’s just a fantastic fairytale story to see him here at the World Cup. Now with West Ham relegated, I expect there will be serious interest from the top clubs.
NYSD: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United are all said to be keen. Do you think he’d be an upgrade on Trossard or Martinelli at Arsenal?
Ruud Gullit: The most important thing is that he chooses a team that suits his style of play — that’s for him to figure out, not me. He needs to be at a club that plays attacking football. If Arsenal are going to win titles through corner kicks and set pieces, Summerville won’t be scoring many goals. Although I should say — tracking back and working defensively is part of modern football. If you get back into position quickly after losing the ball, you don’t have to do much running. If you’re always late, then you’re constantly chasing.
NYSD: Having watched the first round of games, have you changed your prediction for the winner?
Ruud Gullit: No, not at all. I still think France are the favourites, but I think Portugal are the dark horse. They tend to raise their game against stronger opponents, and they have the right mentality and quality for a deep run. I like a lot of teams in this tournament. But ultimately, nothing in football is certain. That’s what makes it so beautiful.
NYSD: Have England started too quickly and raised expectations too high?
Ruud Gullit: The problem in England is you can’t start slowly, because the press is on your neck immediately. It’s the same in every country, to be fair. I remember Italy won the World Cup after barely scraping through the group stage, playing terribly. They eventually shut the press out completely and went on to lift the trophy. Every nation wants to see their team play well, but it is better not to show everything you have early in the tournament. That said, England have impressed everyone, and that’s a good thing — we want to see good football. Whether they can sustain that level is another question.
NYSD: Thomas Tuchel apparently gave them a strong half-time team talk after a sluggish first half.
Ruud Gullit: I agree with Roy Keane — that was overblown. Every manager would have done exactly the same thing. It’s not rocket science.
NYSD: Do you think Argentina being defending champions helps or hurts them?
Ruud Gullit: The good thing is that everyone expects Argentina to do what they always do. The interesting thing about playing them is that you always feel like you can score — they do leave space in midfield. But then Messi gets the ball and you have no idea what’s coming. That’s the genius of it.
NYSD: Norway have been a surprise package as well, haven’t they?
Ruud Gullit: The biggest surprise of the tournament. They play really good football and they have a fantastic striker — a freak of nature, honestly. The pace he has for someone of that size is extraordinary. It’s great to see Norway competing at this level.
NYSD: The Golden Boot race is going to be very exciting.
Ruud Gullit: Unbelievable. So many players in contention. I think this is one of the best World Cups I’ve seen in years — apart from the hydration breaks, which are genuinely terrible. They kill the momentum. You can even see the players’ frustration. Look at how many goals have been scored after a break changes the dynamic of the game — it takes the entire vibe away from the team that’s on top.
NYSD: You didn’t play in USA ’94 due to your falling out with Dick Advocaat, is that right?
Ruud Gullit: Yes, we fell out. I think we both made mistakes, and I’ve admitted that. That’s football. And now he’s managing Curaçao, which is remarkable — he actually got them to qualify, which is an incredible achievement.
NYSD: Could you imagine playing behind both Mbappé and Haaland in the same team?
Ruud Gullit: Of course it would work. Great players know how to play with each other — that’s as it should be. I played with someone who won three Ballon d’Ors in Marco van Basten, so I know exactly what it’s like to be on the pitch with the very best.
NYSD: Quick question about Ronald Koeman — some Holland fans have criticised his tactics as being too conservative.
Ruud Gullit: Koeman has done really well. People forget that good management is often about getting results more than playing flamboyant football. He’s gotten results and navigated the tournament smartly.
NYSD: Is the hydration break purely commercial — to sell advertising — or is it genuinely about player welfare?
Ruud Gullit: Whatever the stated reason, the effect is terrible. It’s not just about hydration — the coaches use it tactically to readjust, the momentum of the game shifts completely. Look at what happened with Holland — they were 2-0 up and after the break, everything changed. The players need to figure things out on the pitch themselves. That’s what football is.
NYSD: Final question — is France still the team to beat?
Ruud Gullit: France remain the easy pick. They are extraordinary — Mbappé, Dembélé, so many world-class players. You could almost build four separate competitive teams from their squad. But in football, nothing is ever certain. That uncertainty is what makes it so compelling — two people can watch the same incident and completely disagree on whether it’s a penalty. Those different perspectives, those grey areas — that’s what makes football so endlessly fascinating.
NYSD: As ever, a pleasure talking to you, Ruud. Thank you.
Ruud Gullit: You’re very welcome. Bye-bye.
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