Denis Law has been described as a “true Scot” by former team-mate Alex Stepney as tributes poured in for the 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, alongside Stepney, 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.

“He was a true character, really, that’s what it was all about,” former United goalkeeper Stepney told BBC Breakfast.

“He was a firecracker, he scored so many goals for Manchester United and whoever he was playing for. The defenders he came up against were all big and strong, but it didn’t bother him.

“He scored so many great goals with his head, he was tremendous. Anything around the 18-yard box, especially on the pitches we played on in those days, boom he was in.”

Law – who scored 237 goals in 404 appearances for United – 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 Bobby Charlton.

He also remains the only Scottish player to have won a Ballon d’Or, which he was awarded in 1964.

Stepney added: “We all had talents and they had a better talent in goalscoring because they were all forwards, like I said Ballon d’Or winners.

“They kept scoring the goals, but other players were scoring goals and that’s how we won what we did really.

“But he was tremendous, he was a true Scot. You had George (Best) who was Irish, Bobby (Charlton) who was English and he was Scottish, three Ballon d’Or winners, unbelievable.”

Law, who started his career at Huddersfield and also played for Manchester City and Torino, made his senior Scotland debut aged 18 in 1958 and was capped 55 times.

With 30 goals he remains joint record scorer for Scotland alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish, who also paid tribute.

“Thoughts are with Denis Law’s family. Thanks for the great memories. My hero,” said Dalglish, replying to Sky Sports’ tribute on X in which former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Law as “the greatest Scottish player of all time”.

Former Scotland captain John Greig said it was a privilege to have played with his “hero” Law.

The ex-Rangers skipper and manager told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound programme: “It was a great shock to hear about it because I spoke to him about nine months ago down at Manchester. I was at a game and saw Denis there and I had a chat with him. He wasn’t well but it was great to see him.

“Quite honestly it was a privilege and honour to play in the same team as Denis. He could have played for any team in the world. When you had him in your team you thought you could have beaten anybody because he was always capable of scoring goals.

“When I got into the Scottish team I felt it was a real privilege because I was playing with my hero. He was always such an outstanding player. He was electric on the field. Electric. You were always sure of the fact that if he got half a chance he would because he was a proper goalscorer.

“He made me very welcome and helped me a great deal when I first went to the Scottish team. He wasn’t a very public guy, he liked his privacy a bit, but he certainly made you welcome when you were a new player.

“A sad, sad loss. A great, great guy and a great football player.”

Former United midfielder David Beckham also described Law as the “perfect gentleman”.

“Tonight we lost a true gentleman of the game… Our love goes out to Denis’s family,” Beckham posted in a story on Instagram.

“Our hearts are heavy tonight. A legend on the field but the perfect gentleman off…”

Former United and England captains Bryan Robson and Wayne Rooney were also among those to pay their respects.

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.”

Ex-United striker Eric Cantona took to Instagram to pay tribute, saying: “Rest in peace Denis. You were one of those who helped me feel at home in Manchester United. Thank you my friend!”