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Denis Law has been described as “one of football’s giants” as tributes poured in for the former Manchester United and Scotland great following his death at the age of 84.
The Aberdeen-born striker won two league titles with United and was a member of their European Cup-winning side under Sir Matt Busby in 1968 when they became the first English club to lift the trophy.
Law, known as ‘The King’, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in 2021, and his family announced his death on Friday evening.
The ex-Manchester City and Huddersfield striker is Scotland’s joint all-time leading scorer with 30 goals in 55 appearances and is third on United’s all-time scoring list behind Wayne Rooney and former team-mate Sir Bobby Charlton.
Former United and England captains Bryan Robson and Rooney were among those to pay their respects to Law.
Robson, who worked with Law in an ambassadorial role for the club, called the Scot a “fantastic man”.
“We have lost one of football’s giants both as a player and a gentleman. It’s incredibly sad,” he said in a column in the Daily Mail.
“Denis was more than just a fantastic footballer, he was a fantastic man. So generous with his time and everything delivered with that great sense of humour of his.
“He would always be in my greatest ever Manchester United XI. He was a player so many of his peers idolised and with good reason, that iconic image of him with his sleeves pulled down and the one-arm salute after scoring.
“No one could represent what Manchester United stood for better than him. Full of flair on the pitch and a gentleman off it.”
Law scored a total of 237 goals in 404 appearances for United during an 11-year spell at Old Trafford until 1973, while he won the Ballon d’Or in 1964 – the only Scottish player ever to have done so.
Rooney posted on X: “Legend. Thoughts with all Denis’ family and friends.”
Law’s family had earlier released a statement, which read: “It is with a heavy heart that we tell you our father Denis Law has sadly passed away. He fought a tough battle but finally he is now at peace.
“We would like to thank everyone who contributed to his wellbeing and care, past and much more recently. We know how much people supported and loved him and that love was always appreciated and made the difference. Thank you.”
Law defied his small physique to terrorise defenders with his fearless approach and electric pace during an 18-year playing career, which also included spells at first club Huddersfield, Manchester City (twice) and Torino.
He made his senior Scotland debut aged 18 in 1958 and remains his country’s joint record scorer alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish.
Law’s transfers from Huddersfield to Manchester City in 1960 and later moves to Italian club Torino (1961) and to Manchester United in 1962 were all British records at the time.
United said in a statement: “Everyone at Manchester United is mourning the loss of Denis Law, the King of the Stretford End, who has passed away, aged 84.
“Our deepest condolences go out to Denis’s family and many friends. His memory will live on forever more.”
Law is the only player to have two statues dedicated to him at Old Trafford, one on the Stretford End concourse and the other as part of the ‘United Trinity’ outside the stadium alongside fellow greats George Best and Charlton.
In the years after his retirement Law worked as a broadcaster as well as for numerous charities and he was inducted into both the Scottish and English football halls of fame.
The Scottish Football Association paid tribute to a “true great”.
In a post on the Scottish national team’s X account, it said: “A true great. We will not see his likes again. Denis Law. 1940-2025.”
Law played 84 times for Manchester City across two spells and they said the “whole of Manchester” was mourning.
In a reply to United’s X post breaking the news, City said: “The whole of Manchester, including everyone at City, is mourning with you.
“Rest in peace, Denis. Our thoughts are with Denis’ family and friends at this difficult time.”
The Denis Law Legacy Trust described Law as “Scotland’s greatest ever footballer and a proud Aberdonian”.
The Trust said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Denis and our foremost thoughts are with his family and close friends during this very sad time.
“Denis was Scotland’s greatest ever footballer and a proud Aberdonian. As Patron of the charity that was built in his honour, he was an inspirational figure for so many people in the city.”
Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Kate Lee said the charity would be “forever grateful” to Law for helping raise awareness of the disease.
Lee said: “We are deeply saddened by the news that Alzheimer’s Society supporter, Denis Law, has died with dementia.
“We’ll be forever grateful that Denis and his family raised not only money for Alzheimer’s Society but a great deal of awareness too.
“Talking about his diagnosis, Denis once said ‘you hope that it won’t happen to you’.
“The sad reality is that one in three people born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia and a million people are currently living with it.”
