Roy Keane leaves Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher in hysterics over ‘strange' question

Daily Mirror

02-05-2025

When Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit reunited with Roy Keane on the Stick To Football podcast, the Manchester United icon was reminded of a hilarious story from one of their past meetings
Roy Keane had podcast co-hosts Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher laughing as he recounted a side-splitting tale about Ruud Gullit.
The Dutch football legend - known for his illustrious career with AC Milan, PSV, Feyenoord, and Chelsea - appeared on the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast. During the show, Keane didn't hesitate to relive a memorable encounter between the two at the 2022 World Cup.
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"All the TV companies stay in the same hotel, and I bumped into Ruud at breakfast," the Irishman explained. "I obviously didn't know him.
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"I remember being dead polite, and he spoke to me about injuries. He asked me what was the worst injury I had. I thought strange question, but he seemed really interested. So I told him, 'Oh, my cruciate - and I had a hip operation, that set me back a bit.'
"Then I said, 'What about you?', and he went, 'I used to always get side strains,'" recalled Keane, pointing to the side of his ribcage. "I went, 'Side strains?', and he went, 'Yeah, you know when you're lifting trophies.'"
The studio erupted in laughter. "You got me," Keane conceded, while Gullit chuckled knowingly.
Now 62, Gullit is celebrated as one of the all-time greats in Dutch and continental football. Famed for his adaptability, he excelled in numerous roles on the pitch and left a lasting mark wherever he played.
He earned the Ballon d'Or in 1987, the same year he made a record-setting £6million switch from PSV to AC Milan. There, he enjoyed a trophy-laden run with three Serie A wins and two European Cups, forming a legendary trio with Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard - a partnership that also propelled the Netherlands to Euro 1988 glory.
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Gullit later joined Chelsea in 1995, paving the way for a wave of international stars like Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli, and Marcel Desailly. Taking over as player-manager in 1996, he led the club to FA Cup glory in 1997 - the Blues' first major trophy in over a quarter of a century.
Among Chelsea supporters, Gullit is still seen as a transformative figure from the pre- Roman Abramovich years, lauded for his finesse and vision both as a player and manager. That's why it came as a surprise when club owner Todd Boehly failed to recognise him.
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"I think football clubs these days are run for business rather than from the heart," Gullit said. "I met Todd Boehly, it was a meeting for all the clubs organised by [ PSG chairman] Nasser [Al-Khelaifi].
"So I thought I'd introduce myself [to Boehly]. He asked me, 'What do you do?' I said, 'I played football, also for Chelsea.'
"He said, 'What did you do then for Chelsea? When were you there?' He didn't know! This is what it is. They don't know what the club is all about."