Manchester United and Scotland legend Denis Law has died at the age of 84, sparking a wave of heartfelt tributes to a man known at Old Trafford as “The King.”
Law was a member of United’s UEFA European Cup-winning side under Matt Busby in 1968, when they became the first English club to lift the trophy, although he was injured for the final.
Capped 55 times by Scotland, he remains his country’s joint all-time leading scorer with 30 goals alongside Kenny Dalglish and is the only Scottish player to win the Ballon d’Or, in 1964.
Photo: AP
Law — part of the famed “Holy Trinity” at Old Trafford alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best — was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in 2021.
His death was confirmed on Friday “with a heavy heart” by his family, who said “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,” the statement said. “We know how much people supported and loved him and that love was always appreciated and made the difference. Thank you.”
Photo: AP
Law scored a total of 237 goals in 404 appearances during an 11-year spell at Old Trafford until 1973, which places him third behind Wayne Rooney and Charlton on United’s all-time list.
Manchester United said the club was mourning the loss of “the King of the Stretford End.”
“He will always be celebrated as one of the club’s greatest and most beloved players,” United said.
“The ultimate goalscorer, his flair, spirit and love for the game made him the hero of a generation,” they added.
The Scotland national team called Law “a true great,” adding: “We will not see his likes again.”
Rooney paid tribute on X, writing: “Legend. Thoughts with all Denis’ family and friends.”
Former United and England captain Bryan Robson, who worked with Law in an ambassadorial role at Old Trafford, described the Scot as a “fantastic man.”
“We have lost one of football’s giants both as a player and a gentleman. It’s incredibly sad,” Robson wrote 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 humor of his,” he wrote.
Law began his career at Huddersfield Town and had two spells with Manchester City plus one with Italian club Torino.
He was sold for a British record fee three times during his career.
During his time at United, Law won the FA Cup and English top-flight twice, in 1965 and 1967.
However, a cartilage injury forced him to miss the famous 4-1 victory over Benfica in the European Cup final at Wembley in 1968.
Law is the only player to have two statues dedicated to him at Old Trafford, one as part of the “United Trinity” alongside Best and Charlton.
Law’s other previous clubs added their tributes.
City, the current English champions, said the “whole of Manchester” was mourning.
In a reply to United’s X post, the club said: “The whole of Manchester, including everyone at City, is mourning with you.”
Huddersfield called their former player an “immortal” of football, while Torino said he was an “iconic figure” in the club’s history.
In the years after his retirement Law worked as a broadcaster and for numerous charities.
Former Scotland international Joe Jordan said he was a “proper icon.”
“Denis was a special player and to lose someone like him, I think will affect an awful lot of Manchester United fans,” Jordan told the BBC.
“A proper icon for his ability on the field to score goals, but he had a special edge to him, not just as a player but as a person. He was a special player,” he added.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
RSS