Former Dutch soccer player Ruud Gullit will be heading the organisation that would like to bring the Soccer World Championships to the Netherlands and Belgium.

The “HollandBelgium bid”, as the organization is appropriately named, would like to bring either the 2018 or the 2022 World Championship to the low countries. They indicated that both Gullit’s intimate knowledge of soccer and his international appeal were reasons for making him their president.

The Former PSV, Feyenoord, AC Milan and Chelsea player will be leading delegations that will campaign for the bid and will be involved with the strategy of the candidature.

Furthermore, six new names were added the list of the organisation’s ambassadors: former internationals Johan Cruijff, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Gerits and Michel Preud'homme and Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

The addition of Johan Cruijff to the list of ambassadors is remarkable since the Dutch soccer icon explicitly refused this role of ambassador last year.
 

c Radio Netherlands Worldwide