Netherlands · 1965 – 1988
Rinus Michels
He turned Ajax and the Netherlands into teams where every player could occupy every position. The 1974 Dutch side did not win the final, but it changed how the game is taught.
Ajax · Netherlands · BarcelonaPrincipal clubs
1965 – 1988Span
““Football is a game of space, and space belongs to whoever arrives first.””
Philosophy
Positional rotation, a high defensive line, and the idea that space is the most important thing on the pitch.
The record
- European Cup with Ajax in 1971; the 1988 European Championship with the Netherlands.
- Built the 1974 Netherlands side that reached the World Cup final.
- His Ajax team won three consecutive European Cups after he left, on his method.