‘Can you imagine how lucky I was?’ says Van Nistelrooy as he opens up on being Denis Law’s neighbour in touching tribute

MANCHESTER UNITED fable Ruud van Nistelrooy paid an affectional tribute to the precocious large Denis Law, who utilized to beryllium his neighbour.

Law died astatine the property of 84 connected Friday pursuing a brave conflict with dementia and Alzheimer's the past 4 years.

Tributes poured in crossed the athletics for 1 of the top centre-forwards of each clip who amassed a staggering 237 goals successful 404 appearances during an 11-year stint astatine United.

The Scottish fable has ever been 1 of the astir beloved figures wrong the Red Devils household and that led to him becoming the lone ever subordinate to person 2 statues astatine Old Trafford.

Van Nistelrooy, 48, joined successful connected the tributes with immoderate touching words astir Law contempt present moving arsenic manager of Leicester.

The Dutchman looked backmost astatine his clip arsenic a Man Utd subordinate that saw him spending 5 years successful Manchester aft joining the nine successful 2001 from PSV Eindhoven.

And the erstwhile Real Madrid prima was precise fortunate arsenic helium lived close adjacent to Law, who became rather the mentor for the past fashionable striker.

The ex-United caretaker manager opened up aft Leicester's 2-0 nonaccomplishment to Fulham astatine King Power Stadium connected Saturday astir however overmuch helium got to larn from the "humble" Scot.

Van Nistelrooy said: "Can you ideate however fortunate I was? Being his neighbour.

"I was fortunate capable to person a cupful of beverage with him successful his home, looking retired the model into his backmost yard.

"Time conscionable passed by, talking astir life, football, his career, my young vocation - being 25 oregon 26. It was conscionable lovely.

"The humble person, a feline with a statue extracurricular of Old Trafford, helium was the astir humble idiosyncratic you'll ever meet, with the biggest heart. It was perfectly amazing.

"I discussed immoderate idiosyncratic issues with him, ones that you person to look erstwhile you determination abroad, playing for United successful the nationalist eye.

"All aspects of being a footballer for United, to beryllium capable to get things disconnected your thorax and the consciousness of humour that helium reacted with. It was truly helpful."

Van Nistelrooy has antecedently discussed his clip surviving adjacent to Law during an interrogation with erstwhile team-mate Gary Neville connected Sky Sports.

And Neville revealed the remainder of the squad didn't cognize astir it oregon the meetings the Dutch prima had with Law implicit beverage and coffee.

Van Nistelrooy said 2 years ago: "I went sometimes for a coffee. Talking astir football, goals, strikers... It was fantastic.

"It's my neighbour, got to person a java with my neighbour! It was ever bully to person a chat with him."