Manchester, England (AP) — Describing Denis Law as the “hero of a generation”, Manchester United observed tributes to one of its biggest stars following confirmation of his passing at 84 on Friday.
Scotland’s joint-leading scorer had been given the diagnosis of dementia in nineteen twenty-one.
“Everyone at Manchester United is grieving the passing of Denis Law, known as the King of the Stretford End,” United said in a statement. The club noted he will “always be remembered as one of the club’s greatest and most cherished players.”
He’s undoubtedly the boxes- scoring machine, his fearless attitude and passion for hockey made him a legend in his time.
Law scored 237 goals in 404 matches for United and was a key part of its incredibly talented “Holy Trinity” trio with Bobby Charlton and George Best, helping the team dominate in the 1960s.
He was the only player from Scotland to receive the Ballon d’Or.
“On behalf of European football,” UEFA said on X, “we are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Denis Law. As one of Scotland’s all-time greats, he was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 1964 and led Manchester United to European Cup victory in 1968. Rest in peace, Denis.”
“An absolute legend,” Scotland’s national teams said on X. “We will not see his equal again.”
Former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson wrote in a column in the daily newspaper The Daily Mail, “Denis was more than just a fantastic football player, he was a fantastic individual. As generous as can be with his time and he made sure to deliver every interaction with his great sense of humour.”
He’d always be in my perfect all-time Manchester United starting line-up. He was a player that a lot of his fellow players looked up to, and for good reason, that famous picture of him scoring with his sleeves rolled down and him saluting with one arm.
“Nobody could personify the values Manchester United embodies more than he did. Full of panache on the field and a true gentleman in his personal dealings.”
The Liverpool club posted on X: “Denis was a rival player but highly respected. As (former manager) Bill Shankly once said, ‘Denis Law could dance on eggshells.'”
Frank Bruno, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, posted on X: Denis Law, what a legend! With a double capital “L”. I loved him as a player. What a character. Then we met on the circuit. I remember one time, Frank Bruno walked into the dressing room, and Denis was with George Best. Denis said to George, “Right, you punch him. I’ll nick his money.” He talked so fast, with a Scottish accent, some times Frank said, “Slow down, your mouth will get a speeding ticket.” He was a lot of fun to be around. People like Denis were rare – pure gold, on and off the pitch.
The Alzheimer Society expressed profound sadness in a post on X about the passing of their supporter, Denis Law, who had been dealing with dementia. They expressed their heartfelt gratitude for Denis and his family’s contributions, which went beyond fundraising, to also greatly increasing awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease.
Law also played for his first club Huddersfield Town, Torino, and Manchester City twice, including his last season being in 1974.
The Huddersfield Town wrote on X, “A legend not just of our great club, but a legendary figure in the entire sport, he will be deeply missed and his memory will be cherished by all of us.”
Italy’s Torino reminisced on X saying it cherished “with emotion and affection” its former forward from the 1961-62 season: “An iconic figure in the history of the Maroons (an alternate name for Torino): the day spent together during the Maroons’ centennial, 3 December 2006, was truly unforgettable.”
The City club released a statement saying, “The entire city of Manchester, along with all City staff, are sending condolences to [United’s fans]. May Denis rest in peace.”
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The Associated Press