The Dutchman, who had previously plied his trade in Scotland, has died six years after being diagnosed with his condition
Former Rangers player Fernando Ricksen has passed away following his battle with motor neurone disease.
The Dutchman was diagnosed in October 2013 and set up the Fernando Ricksen Foundation with the aim of helping others suffering from the same condition.
After six years of struggling with the condition, Ricksen died this morning at the age of 43.
Ricksen never shirked public appearances despite the disease leaving him with difficulty speaking and needing help to dress and feed himself.
Rangers held a benefit match for their former player in 2015 designed to support him and his family.
Ricksen won two league titles, two Scottish Cups and three League Cups during his six-year spell in Scotland.
The right-back earned 12 caps for his country and won the PFA Scotland Player of the Year alongside John Hartson in 2005.
Advocaat signed the defender for Rangers from AZ Alkmaar for a fee of just under £4million.
Ricksen has left behind his wife, Veronika, 33 and daughter Isabella, 8.
He did a documentary with Sky Sports in 2015 describing when he received his diagnosis.
Ricksen said: 'When they said, I just couldn't believe it.
'I thought they had made a mistake, maybe they took someone else's file. But after one month of all the tests, then you know what you have.
'(But) I can't sit in the corner and say 'why me, what happened?
'For me, it happened and I'm still happy.'