- Ruud Gullit claimed he was ‘honoured’ by fans who dressed up as him during a match
- The fans were criticized for painting their faces black in an attempt to imitate him
- Listen to It all starts! Why does Germany feel like a country not yet ready to host Euro 2024?
Ruud Gullit has reportedly claimed he was ‘honored’ by Dutch fans who dressed as him during the Netherlands’ 2-1 win over Poland.
The group of fans faced intense backlash over blackface when they tried to imitate Gullit in the stands during their country’s opening match of the 2024 European Championship.
They had their faces painted black, wore dreadlocks that resembled his iconic hairstyle, and also sported mustaches in an attempt to imitate him.
The practice of ‘blackface’, which dates back to the 19th century, is seen by many as racist.
However, Gullit didn’t seem to mind at all, claiming, “I actually feel honored,” the Dutch newspaper reported The Telegraph.
Ruud Gullit has claimed he felt ‘honoured’ by fans who imitated him, slamming them for painting their faces black
The group of fans was criticized for ‘blackface’, which is seen by many as racist and is especially controversial in the Netherlands
They wore kits from the Dutch victory at the 1988 European Championship, in which Gullit played the leading role
He is a Dutch legend and won the European Championship with the country in 1988. The three fans wore replica jerseys of that team as part of their outfit.
However, following the backlash, one of the fans, Bart van de Ven, has promised to retire his ‘Rasta Ruud’ character. DutchNews.
‘Maybe I made a mistake or it’s a blind spot. The last thing I want to do is hurt people and that’s why I’ve decided to quit,” he said.
“I have also had a lot of nice reactions, but there is clearly a group that thinks differently,” he said. “I have to respect that and listen to it. The last thing I want is for people to have some unpleasant association with my act.’
Van de Ven is said to have imitated Gullit at international tournaments between 2008 and 2014.
The issue of blackface is particularly controversial in the Netherlands, where the tradition of ‘Black Pete’ is the source of heated debate.
The presence of ‘Black Pete’ at Christmas festivals angers demonstrators.
Traditionally, the character is played by white actors in blackface with curly afro-style wigs and red lipstick.
One of the fans, Bart van de Ven, has promised to retire the costume, which he wore at tournaments between 2008 and 2014.
Defenders of the tradition consider it harmless fun, with the black makeup representing Santa’s soot coming down the chimney.
The Netherlands kicked off the European Championship season with a comeback win over Poland, after striker Wout Weghorst came off the bench to grab a late winner.
They were shocked in the 16th minute when Adam Buksa towered over three defenders for a beautiful kick into the net from Piotr Zielinski’s corner.
The Dutch equalized in the 29th minute with livewire Gakpo’s low shot from outside the area, which took a deflection off defender Bartosz Salamon and beat Wojciech Szczesny.
And after a whole series of missed opportunities throughout the match, the Dutch team finally broke through again via Weghorst.