Denis Law, Manchester United legend, Scotland’s top goalscorer and former winner of the Ballon d’Or passes away at age 84.
Denis Law, one of the members of Manchester United’s legendary “Holy Trinity” has passed away aged 84.
Law was diagnosed with acute Dementia in 2021. He also was the last surviving member of the aforementioned trinity. George Best passing away in 2005 and Sir Bobby leaving for his heavenly abode in 2023.
Law scored 237 goals for the Red Devils in 404 appearances for the club. Law, on the other hand, won 55 caps for Scotland after making his debut against Wales in October 1958. He went on to score 30 goals. Along with Sir Kenny Dalglish’s, it is still the joint-highest total in the history of the nation.
His family said in a statement: “It is with a heavy heart that we tell you our father Denis Law has sadly passed away. He fought a tough battle but finally he is now at peace. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to his wellbeing and care, past and much more recently. We know how much people supported and loved him and that love was always appreciated and made the difference.”
United posted on X: “Everyone at Manchester United is mourning the loss of Denis Law, the King of the Stretford End, who has passed away, aged 84. Our deepest condolences go out to Denis’s family and many friends. His memory will live on forever more.”
Law, who was born in Aberdeen in February 1940, never did play for a Scottish team. Instead, he signed with Huddersfield right out of school in 1955. Five years later, he moved to Manchester City for a then-record £55,000. He was back on the move a year later, joining Torino. Since Law had a bad off-field experience in Italy. It was not surprising that he returned to England right once and settled in Manchester’s red half before the 1962–1963 season began.
Law scored his first goal against West Bromwich Albion in August 1962. He started his United career the way he intended to. Many of the goals were celebrated in the soon-to-be-signature manner. The arm raised in the air, the hand holding the sleeve, and the finger pointing skyward. As young United fans, as well as many older ones, fell in love with a striker who combined talent and elegance with deadly ruthlessness. It was imitated in playgrounds all over Manchester.
Law was deployed with Best and Charlton in a United team that Sir Matt Busby had skilfully built from the ruins of Munich. He opened the scoring in the 1963 FA Cup final triumph against Leicester and played a key role in the 1965 and 1967 First Division titles. He also won the Ballon d’Or in 1964. Four years later, he was poised to make the difference in the European Cup final, but a knee injury prevented him from contributing to United’s most memorable victory of the time.
Like everyone else at United, Law found it difficult to adjust during the difficult transition that followed Busby. The backheel shot at Old Trafford that furthered United’s relegation to the Second Division was his final and possibly most well-known goal of his career. He rejoined City on a free transfer in July 1973. Soon after, Law requested to be replaced because he was so upset about making the home crowd unhappy. The fact that so many United supporters gathered around him as he left the pitch speaks volumes about how much they adored him.
In the end, Law will be most recognised for his work at United. The two sculptures of Law that are located at Old Trafford—one on the Stretford End concourse and the other as part of the monument to the “Holy Trinity” that looks over the stadium’s forecourt—reflect the club’s response to his dementia diagnosis, calling him a “legend.” Those who witnessed Denis Law’s play will always remember him in a variety of ways.