Gullit's wife walks out on him for man 21 yrs younger
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Ruud Gullit's wife walks out on him for man 21 years younger and blames football legend's womanising for end of marriage
Former Chelsea ace is said to be devastated after Estelle, 33, told him she wanted a divorce
Football legend Ruud Gullit’s wife has left him for a younger man... because she says she’s sick of his cheating.
The former Chelsea ace was said to be devastated this week when Estelle, 33, told him she wanted a divorce.
She said she had fallen in love with Moroccan-born Badr Hari, 28, who is 21 years younger than Ruud... and the world champion heavyweight kickboxer.
In a scathing assessment of the Dutch couple’s relationship Estelle, niece of football star Johan Cruyff, blamed Sky TV pundit Ruud’s infidelity for the end of their 12-year marriage.
She said: “There is one thing Ruud needs to know. Badr has not stolen me from Ruud... Ruud gave me away.”
Despite his many affairs Ruud, 49, was stunned when Estelle said she wanted a divorce, she claims. “Ruud is angry and confused,” she revealed. “He can’t believe what is happening. He was really angry when I told him I was leaving him.
“I wanted us both to tell the children. We have a daughter Joelle and a son Maxim together. But I did not get the chance to discuss that.
“Ruud is so annoyed. He really did not see this coming. But that is what happens when you are so busy with your own things.”
Younger man: World champion kickboxer Badr Hari
She went on: “Of course Ruud had affairs. He always did during our marriage. And of course I knew about them. And of course he would deny them all the time. My trust in him decreased over the years. In the end I didn’t trust him one bit.
“That was the moment I started to ask myself, what is this whole marriage actually based on?
“I put on a brave smile for a long time when I was with friends. It was a smile to hide my disappointment and hurt. As a woman you feel so much more than a man. I just knew his things weren’t incidents, but pure lust. The first time I confronted him with one of his affairs, we weren’t even married.”
The couple married in 2000 after four years together. Their relationship started when Estelle was just 17.
Although she says Ruud is a good father and has supported her as a mother, Estelle says she realised she needed to get away from the constant pain of his affairs.
“Ruud does not realise that he has hurt me so much over the years,” she said. “I wonder now if he was aware of how much pain he caused me.
“I wanted that pain to end. I hope he finds somebody who can make him happy. It has become clear over the years that I could not make him happy. Well, not just me on my own.
“Ruud knows I know everything. He really is not a bad man, but he has one particularly bad habit.
“I was looking forward to a lovely, romantic life with Ruud. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He was sweet, happy. I could not wait to start a family with him. I don’t want to forget the great moments, which we did have, otherwise this would not have lasted 16 years.”
Estelle, who was speaking to Dutch paper De Telegraaf, said: “He is an adorable father for the kids – absolutely great. As a woman, that makes you melt at times too.
“But being a good father for the kids, I know now, is not enough.”
Ruud was married twice before and has four children with his ex-wives.
One of the finest players of his generation, he played at AC Milan, Sampdoria and Chelsea as well as starring for his national team. He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1987. Gullit went on to manage Chelsea and Newcastle United.
He confirmed to Dutch media this week that he was getting divorced, “because of recent developments in his marriage”.