Responding to the sad news, England Head Coach Sven-Göran Eriksson said: "I met him many times. He was a great man, a legend.

"His philosophy of Total Football caught the imagination of everyone in football.

"There is no one in the game who does not think of him as one of the greatest coaches that there has been. I have read his books and, like almost all coaches, have learned very much from him.

"He built the foundations for the great Ajax teams of the 1970s, and then took that success to the Dutch national team. The 1974 World Cup and Euro 88 teams were both tactically and technically fantastic, playing wonderful attacking football.

"This is a sad day but Rinus Michels leaves football with a great legacy.

Born in Amsterdam on 09 February 1928, Michels had an excellent record as a player, scoring 120 goals in 257 league games for AFC Ajax from 1946-58.

During his playing career, Michels won five caps for Holland making his debut in Holland's 4-1 win over Sweden in June 1950.

However it is for his coaching achievements that he will forever be remembered. Having found a way into the Ajax side under Jack Reynolds, Michels learnt his craft under the English manager as well as other Ajax coaches Karl Humenberger, Vic Buckingham and Robert Thomson.

As manager of Ajax between 1965 and 1971, Michels moulded a side very much in his fashion and in 1965/66, Ajax won the Dutch championship for the first time in six years. Michels lead the Amsterdam club to further championships in 1967, 1968 and 1970 as well as three Dutch Cups.

However the pinnacle of his achievements at Ajax was leading the club to the to the first of three straight European Cups in 1971, which was secured thanks to a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos.

Michels then moved to Barcelona, where he was soon joined by Johan Cruyff. With the Dutch superstar in the side, Michels' side won the championship in 1974 and by the end of his three spells in Catalunya (1971-75,1976-77 and 1977-78), he had added two more trophies.

Most famously Michels coached the Dutch national side on three separate occasions.

The side that graced the 1974 World Cup was one of the finest of all time, as the side's 'total football' style swept them all the way to the final where they were denied the title of world champions by hosts West Germany.

Michels was back in charge in 1984 and four years later led the Dutch to their only international honour to date - the 1988 European Championship. Having qualified from a group including England, the USSR and the Republic of Ireland, the Dutch beat West Germany in the semi finals before defeating the Soviets in the final.

A final spell (1990-92) with the side saw Michels lead Holland in the defence of their European crown but ultimately their run was ended by Denmark in the semi finals.