Fred Rutten was a technical and intelligent Dutch defender who spent his entire professional career as a player at FC Twente, a club he played for between the late 1970s and the early 1990s. Although he did not have the same media attention as other names in the position, he was a solid and reliable part of the Tukkers' defense for more than a decade. His style of play was marked by technical quality with the ball at his feet, vision of the game and good defensive positioning, which set him apart from many defenders of the time.

He was often compared to the legendary Epi Drost, especially for his ability to initiate plays from the back, his calmness under pressure and precise long passing. However, unlike Drost, who was known for frequently venturing forward, Rutten was more restrained and pragmatic, avoiding taking unnecessary risks. His approach was more focused on solidity, preferring precise passes and well-calculated coverage.

Rutten was called up for the Dutch national team a few times between 1988 and 1989, but played in only one game, a friendly against Italy, which ended 1-0 to the Italians in 1989. In 1988, Rutten was on Rinus Michels' preliminary squad for the European Championship, but was cut in favor of Wim Koevermans; a situation that Rutten still harbors some bitterness about to this day, because according to him, he was much more qualified than Koevermans at the time.

In February 1992, Rutten was forced to end his playing career prematurely after being diagnosed with accelerated hip deterioration. He had already been out of action for a few months. After two surgeons recommended that he leave professional football, he decided to retire. In total, he played 317 matches for FC Twente, scoring 11 goals.


Other Links:
Fredericus Jacobus Rutten (1962) | Kentudezenog.nl | Dutch
Fred Rutten still popular at FC Twente | Tubantia.nl | Dutch
Fred Rutten - Player Profile | FBRef.com | English
Fred Rutten - Career Stats | Transfermarkt | English

Videos:
1982 FC Utrecht 3 - 2 FC Twente | Rutten is nº 5
FC Twente 1 - 3 PSV | Eredivisie 1985-1986, 23 maart 1986 | Rutten is nº 4
Roda JC 1 - 1 FC Twente (1986-1987) | Rutten is n° 2
Roda JC 1 - 3 FC Twente (1986-1987)(Nacompetitie) | Rutten is nº 2
FC Twente 2 - 3 PSV | Eredivisie 1987-1988, 19 augustus 1987 | Rutten is nº 2
1988-05-01 | FC Twente 1 - 0 Roda JC | Rutten is nº 2
1989-03-25 | FC Twente - Roda JC 0-0 | Rutten is nº 2