Feyenoord's European Cup-winning captain Rinus Israel dies at 83

Rinus Israël, the first Dutch footballer to have lifted the European Cup when Feyenoord won the trophy in 1970, has died at the age of 83.

The captain also scored the equalizer in the final as Feyenoord came back to win 2-1 against Celtic, who had won the tournament three years earlier.

A tough-tackling defender nicknamed IJzeren Rinus (“Iron Rinus”), Israel formed a solid partnership at the back with Theo “the Tank” Laseroms during his eight years in De Kuip, playing 219 matches and scoring 21 goals.

He also played 47 times for the Dutch national team, including three matches as a substitute in the 1974 World Cup, although he did not feature in the final against West Germany.

Israel started his career in his native Amsterdam with DWS, winning the Eredivisie title in 1964.

He won a further three league titles at Feyenoord, as well as the KNVB Cup, the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. In 1970 he was named footballer of the year, an accolade he won again in 1975 with Excelsior.

Despite struggling with knee injuries that prompted Feyenoord to let him go in 1974, Israël played professionally for another seven years with PEC Zwolle until he retired in 1982 at the age of 40.

He went into coaching but was unable to match his success as a player, though he spent four years with the national team as assistant to Dick Advocaat and Guus Hiddink.