Cruyff and Gullit, Holland's two greatest-ever players who both also rank among the best footballers ever, were introduced as bid ambassadors along with former Belgium players Enzo Scifo and Paul Van Himst

Non-football ambassadors unveiled included Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband and Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx at a ceremony held at the stadium of PSV Eindhoven.

A list of blue-chip companies who are backing the bid was also unveiled, including Dutch construction company BAM, financial group ING, Air France unit KLM, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Dutch staffing company Randstad.

The 12 new stadiums are estimated to cost between 60 million Euros (£54 million) and 100 million Euros (£91 million) each.

The Dutch-Belgian bid is seen as outsiders after FIFA President Sepp Blatter said earlier this year that single bids were likely to get preference over joint ones.

But in July, Blatter reassured Belgium and Holland that their World Cup bid was valid despite his preference for single-nation bids, calling the joint bid "appealing".

Experts expect the 2018 event to be awarded to a European country and the Belgium and Holland bid is ranked behind favourites England, Russia and another joint bid from Spain and Portugal. 

Harry Breen, the chief executive of the bid, said: "Competition is fierce.

"We have to be an attractive alternative."

Even though the decision is taken by FIFA's 24-member ruling Executive Committee, Belgium and Holland are convinced smaller nations could help pressure officials because a successful joint bid will improve their chances of organising the world's biggest single-sport event themselves in the future.

Breen said: "Only five to 10 countries [in the world] can organise such an event on their own.

"The others cannot.

"We will show FIFA that we can do it."

Belgian bid director Alain Courotis said: "It should not be a monopoly of big countries.

"Small countries have a majority."

There are a total of nine countries bidding for 2018.

Michael van Praag, the President of the Dutch Football Association, claimed the Dutch-Belgian bid could become a good alternative if it makes it to the second round of voting among the FIFA delegates.

He said: "Don't underestimate the second round.

"But it will not be easy."

Gullit, who inspired Holland to victory at the 1996 European Championships before successfully managing Chelsea, said: "We have to sneak into the second round and then we can make it."

Belgium and Holland successfully co-hosted the 2000 European Championship, which was won by France and which officials also hope will be be a benefit to their bid.

Francois De Keersmaecker, President of the Belgian Football Union, said: "We have proven we can actually hold such an event."

Courtis said: "No one needs to teach us any lessons.

"We have shown that we know how to do it."

Besides the European candidates, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and the United States are also bidding.

Qatar and South Korea are bidding for just the 2022 event, which will be awarded by FIFA at the same time as the 2018 tournament at a meeting on December 2, 2010.


Related stories
April 2009: Firm appointed to work with Belgium-Holland World Cup bid
February 2009: Belgium and Holland bid still confident with joint bid