Manchester United legend Denis Law left a massive £2million fortune to his family following his death earlier this year.
The 84-year-old Scottish international died in January, three and a half years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
Probate records show the Aberdeen native left some £2,062,059 to his family – reduced to £2,035,475 after fees – with his children Diana Buckley, known as Di, and Andrew Law granted probate to manage his estate.
Law, known for his signature finger-point celebration, has left his entire fortune to his wife, also Diana, in his last will dated 2018.
However, she predeceased him, dying in May 2024 at the age of 85 – meaning the money has gone straight to Diana and Andrew to manage.
The striker had five children: alongside Andrew and Di, who worked in the Manchester United press office, he and Diana also had Gary, Robert and Iain.
The footballer revealed in 2021 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia – also known as ‘mixed dementia’.
He spent his final years campaigning as an outspoken advocate for dementia awareness, particularly among sportspeople – joining the Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Sport United Against Dementia’ campaign.
He approached his diagnosis with typical charisma and aplomb, thanking his family while noting that his life had changed significantly.
“It is an incredibly challenging and problematic disease and I have witnessed many friends go through this,’ he said in a statement issued at the time.
Manchester United legend Denis Law left a staggering sum to his family in his will, according to probate documents
The Aberdeen native left more than £2million to his wife Diana in a will dated 2018 (the pair pictured at home in 1990)
Law had spells at Manchester City and Torino – but became legendary during his spell at United (pictured in action in 1969)
‘You hope that it won’t happen to you, even make jokes about it whilst ignoring the early signs because you don’t want it to be true.
‘However, the time has come to tackle this head on, excuse the pun.
‘I recognise how my brain is deteriorating and how my memory evades me when I don’t want it to and how this causes me distress in situations that are beyond my control.
‘I know the road ahead will be hard, demanding, painful and ever changing and so ask for understanding and patience as this will not be an easy journey, especially for the people who love you the most.’
Born in Aberdeen, Law began his career with Huddersfield Town on £20 a week, had two spells at Manchester City and also played in Italy for Torino.
But it was at Manchester United that he became a legend, winning the Ballon d’Or in 1964, and a European Cup, two English titles and the FA Cup in his years at Old Trafford – during which time he scored 237 goals in 404 appearances.
He is Manchester Utd’s third-highest goal scorer of all time behind Wayne Rooney and Sir Bobby Charlton, and Scotland’s joint top scorer with 30 goals from his 55 caps.
Speaking to the Mail before he was diagnosed, Law said he recalled being concussed on several occasions while playing – now known to be a contributory factor in developing the disease.
‘Yes, of course, I did (play while concussed), as we all did,’ says Law.
Denis Law is sized up by manager Matt Busby for his United shirt after transferring to the club from Torino
He announced his retirement in 1974 (pictured at home at the time with wife Diana and children (left to right) Rob, six, Andrew, eight, Gary, 10 and Ian, four
Law made up one third of United’s legendary ‘Holy Trinity’ alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best (pictured with Charlton and Best in 1995)
Law was made a CBE in 2016 for services to football and charity (pictured holding his medal)
Law was commemorated with a statue in his native Aberdeen showing his signature celebration (pictured with his wife Diana in 2021)
‘Everyone did. It was a different game. It was a harder ball then than it is today, a different game altogether. The ball was wet with mud on it and heavy.
‘Because of the mud, the ball became heavier to head and kick. It must have some effect and we can see now it had a big effect for people who did head the ball, the guys at the back, the centre halves and people who played up front.’
He lived in Knutsford, Cheshire – close to his spiritual home of Old Trafford, where he continued to return to watch matches after retiring.
And he is immortalised in not one, but two statues at his spiritual home. One shows him standing among the rest of the ‘Holy Trinity’ – himself, George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton. Sir Bobby was diagnosed with dementia in 2020 and died in 2023.
Law also has a statue in Marischal Square, Aberdeen, which granted him Freedom of the City in 2016.
Murals commemorating his Manchester United and Scottish careers are painted on a tower block in the Granite City’s Woodside area. He was made a CBE in 2016.
When he died, the Alzheimer’s Society credited him directly with raising thousands of pounds in support of the charity’s work.
‘We’ll be forever grateful that Denis and his family raised not only money for Alzheimer’s Society, but a great deal of awareness too,’ it said at the time.
Sir Alex Ferguson led tributes to his fellow Scot.
He said: ‘There is a saying in Scotland: “who do you think you are? Denis Law?”.
‘He was the best Scottish player of all time. He was a fantastic player. He epitomises Scotland, fighting away, having a fight in an empty house. He was an incredible human being.’
Former captain Bryan Robson said: ‘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.’
