Scottish FA on Denis Law: "we'll not see the likes" ever again
Manchester United lead the tributes to Law - who's died, aged 84
Last updated 18th Jan 2025
Manchester United are leading the tributes to Denis Law, calling him the "hero of a generation".
The United and Scotland great has died aged 84 - his family announced his death last night (Fri 17); having been iagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia in 2021.
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."
Rooney posted on X: "Legend. Thoughts with all Denis' family and friends."
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.
He was also one of the few players to have played both for sides of Manchester - ending his career at City in 1974.
They too have paid their respects.
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 raising 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."
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