Former PSV winger René van der Gijp has sparked a debate among Dutch football supporters after declaring Ruud Gullit the most complete footballer of all time, placing the former Netherlands international ahead of Johan Cruyff in one important respect.

Van der Gijp, who played for PSV between 1984 and 1987 and won two league titles during his time in Eindhoven, made the comments on the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast. Having shared a dressing room with Gullit during that period, the television pundit remains convinced that his former teammate possessed a range of abilities unmatched by any other player.

His assessment quickly attracted criticism on social media, particularly from Ajax supporters, many of whom disagreed with the suggestion that Gullit could be considered superior to Cruyff.

Van der Gijp was unequivocal when discussing Gullit's qualities, arguing that his versatility made him a unique footballer.

“I am convinced, and I was fortunately supported in this by Alessandro Costacurta, that Ruud Gullit is the most complete footballer ever,” Van der Gijp said.

The former PSV player went on to explain that Gullit could have performed at the highest level in almost every position on the pitch.

“He would be the best in any position: right-back, left-back, central defender, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, striker, right-winger, or left-winger. The only thing he can't do is play in goal,” he added.

Writer and presenter Michel van Egmond then introduced Cruyff into the discussion. However, Van der Gijp refused to change his position, arguing that the legendary Ajax forward did not possess the same versatility.

“I don't think Cruyff could have played as a defensive midfielder,” he concluded, as quoted by PSV Inside.

The comparison inevitably proved controversial, with several Ajax supporters taking issue with Van der Gijp's assessment.

Some questioned his judgement and suggested that Cruyff's football intelligence and ability to anticipate the game set him apart from Gullit.

One supporter wrote: “Sure, he’s a charming guy, but he couldn’t think five steps ahead like Cruyff could. Besides, I always thought Van Basten was a much better footballer than Gullit.”

Others were less measured in their criticism, with some directing personal insults towards the pundit.

However, Van der Gijp's argument also found considerable support. One listener agreed with his assessment and highlighted Gullit's leadership as another important part of his game.

“Completely agree with Gijp, and he’s even missing the most important point: every now and then, Gullit himself would play like crap and nothing would go right, but he was still the leader who directed the others and ensured they were able to play their own game,” the supporter wrote.

Another comment offered a more balanced view, acknowledging that Cruyff, Marco van Basten and perhaps Dennis Bergkamp may have been better in their specialist positions, while arguing that Gullit could have strengthened virtually any top club in a central role.

The debate reflects the different qualities supporters value when comparing football's greatest players. Van der Gijp's argument is not necessarily that Gullit surpassed Cruyff in every aspect of the game, but that his ability to excel across so many positions made him an exceptionally complete footballer.