Ruud Gullit: 'Italian football needs to return to its core values; tiki-taka is not for everyone'

Milan legend Ruud Gullit has called for Italian football to return to its fundamental values if it wants to restore national pride.

According to the former Dutch star, the "DNA" of Italian football has always been linked to excellent defenders, and the tiki-taka philosophy is not suited for every team.

Gullit played in Serie A during its golden era, when each team was only allowed to use three foreign players. At that time, he formed Milan's legendary Dutch trio alongside Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard.

Speaking on Sky Sport Italia, this former midfielder shared his views on Italy's absence from three consecutive World Cups.

"You must return to the DNA of Italian football. That means good defenders, good goalkeepers, and quality forwards," Gullit emphasized. "The most recent major title Italy won was largely thanks to Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. That is your identity – top-class defenders."

These remarks came after Bonucci himself suggested that he wanted Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola to become the new captain of the Italian national team. However, Gullit holds a different view. He does not believe Italy needs to adopt negative defending, but asserts that a solid defensive foundation remains a vital element.

"I'm not saying you have to park the bus in front of the goal, but there was Paolo Maldini in defense, and Fabio Cannavaro even won the Ballon d'Or. Defense has always been very important. Now everyone wants to play tiki-taka, building up from their own penalty area, but that doesn't suit everyone."

During his playing career, Gullit made 178 appearances in Serie A, scoring 62 goals and providing 46 assists. He spent most of his time with Milan, also playing for Sampdoria before moving to Chelsea in 1995.

The former Dutch international won three Serie A titles with Milan, two Champions League trophies, two European Super Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, and two Italian Super Cups. Additionally, he lifted the Coppa Italia while at Sampdoria, ending his career in Italy with an impressive collection of honors.