International esports organization Team Liquid announced Friday that it has acquired Dutch EA FC esports club, Team Gullit—named after and captained by Dutch footballer Ruud Gullit
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
With this acquisition, Team Gullit will compete under the Team Liquid branding, continuing to represent its existing partners such as Philips OneBlade. Team Gullit co-founder Corné Dubelaar will step down from day-to-day operations of the EA FC team but will continue as an advisor to Team Liquid.
“When Corné Dubelaar and I started Team Gullit together in 2018, a lot of people thought this was solely because of my personal passion for playing EA FC,” said Schalk Stalman, CEO of Triple (part of Hypersolid) and co-founder of Team Gullit. “But I have always believed in the cultural and commercial impact of gaming and EA FC in particular, and this move proves that. In my view, Team Gullit can prosper further under the wings of Team Liquid, and as an advisor, I will be closely involved in that process.”
Team Liquid will bring on Team Gullit’s roster that includes players such as Emre Yilmaz (eChampions League 2023 Winner), Levi de Weerd (European Champion), and Manuel Bachoore (2023 FIFA World Champion). Collaborative projects and partnerships will be plugged into the team, including Alienware’s Pro Lab and the support from technology partners such as SAP’s AI tools.
The acquisition follows a partnership that began in 2024 when Team Liquid and Team Gullit joined forces to participate in the 2024 Esports World Cup. Representing Team Liquid at the events, Team Gullit player Manuel Bachoore finished in the Top 8 of EA FC, helping the organization earn points in the overall club championship, which helped them secure second place and win $4 million USD behind Team Falcons.