Denis Law has rightly received praise from all corners of the football world after the Manchester United legend sadly passed away.
After battling Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia since 2021 the Scottish football icon died aged 84. ‘The King’ spent 11 years at Manchester United, scoring 237 goals in 404 appearances and helped the club win the European Cup, two English titles and the FA Cup. And his incredible influence was felt for decades long after his exploits on the pitch were over.
Even those playing at the highest level would perk their ears up any time the great man spoke. Ruud van Nistelrooy was one of them. The Dutchman joined the Red Devils in 2001 for a British record transfer fee of £19m. He went on to score 95 goals in 150 appearances, becoming one of the Premier League’s most deadly ever finishers. And perhaps it was his neighbour who helped him reach those incredible numbers.
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap in March 2023, the Sky Sports pundit asked the Dutchman: “You lived next door to Denis Law didn’t you?”
Van Nistelrooy replied: “Yeah went with him sometimes for a coffee. We would talk about football, goals, being a striker – it was fantastic. He was my neighbour! I have got to go and have a coffee with my neighbour. He is private. We would have a coffee and talk about about anything. It was always good to have a chat with him.”
Van Nistelrooy has always been vocal about his love for Law and spoke of his pride at drawing level with his European goals tally as United eased to a straightforward 2-0 Champions League victory over Stuttgart in 2003.
“I am proud I have equalled a player like Denis Law,” said van Nistelrooy. “I hear a lot of stories about him, how good he was. I respect him so much, what he achieved and the way he is. I have seen some tapes of him. But I only have to look at his record – that says enough.
“You look at the great history of this club, all those players, they are still heroes here. It’s great to level a record like that, fantastic for me. All I can do is my best and that what I have to do every week.”
The respect went both ways with Law giving the former Netherlands international the highest possible praise – that he wished they could have taken to the pitch together. In his autobiography ‘The King’, it read: “Ruud has impressed me immensely. When he first came to Old Trafford I thought he was excellent. He is another I would like to have played alongside as he gives the team everything. He chases lost causes and balls that are going nowhere. He always seems to do something with it once he has chased it down.”