Harry Gregg was hailed "an extraordinarily ordinary man" and "a heroic figure" following his death at the age of 87.
The former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper was referred to as a hero following the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958, in which 23 people were killed.
Gregg survived the crash and twice returned to the burning fuselage to drag United team-mates and strangers to safety.
Irish Football Association president David Martin said: "Everyone at the association and in the Northern Ireland football family is saddened to hear of the death of Harry Gregg.
"He was one of the greatest and most famous players to come from our country and, of course, he was one of the heroes of Northern Ireland's famous 1958 World Cup squad."
Gregg had spells with Windsor Park Swifts, the reserve team of Linfield, and his local club Coleraine before moving to England to sign for Doncaster at the age of 18 and played for Rovers between 1952 and 1957.
When he retired from playing, a managerial career followed with spells in charge of Shrewsbury, Swansea, Crewe and Carlisle.
