Birth of Aberdeen Goalscorer
Denis Law was born in Aberdeen on 24 February and later became Scotland's only male Ballon d'Or winner.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Denis Law Biography and Timeline
Follow Denis Law through 38 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Denis Law, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
38Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1940–2025Years on this page
1940
1955
Huddersfield Youth Recruitment
Law left Aberdeen for Huddersfield Town as a teenager, beginning his professional development far from home.
1956
Huddersfield Senior League Debut
Law entered Huddersfield's first team at sixteen and began gaining Second Division experience under Bill Shankly.
1958
Scotland International Debut
Law won his first senior Scotland cap against Wales while still a teenager and quickly became an important attacking prospect.
1959
Huddersfield Young Attacker Attracts Interest
Law's quick feet and finishing in the Second Division attracted attention from larger English and European clubs.
1960
Manchester City British Record Signing
Manchester City signed Law from Huddersfield for a British-record fee of roughly fifty-five thousand pounds.
1961
Torino Italian Transfer Record
Law moved to Torino for a six-figure fee and encountered the tactical demands and tensions of Italian club football.
1962
Manchester United Record Arrival
Matt Busby brought Law from Torino to Manchester United for a new British transfer-record fee, installing him at the heart of the attack.
United Debut Goalscoring Impact
Law quickly demonstrated his penalty-area instincts after joining United, beginning the most productive chapter of his club career.
1963
FA Cup Final Goal Against Leicester
Law scored Manchester United's first goal in the 3-1 FA Cup final victory over Leicester City at Wembley.
Rest of World Goal Against England
Law scored for a FIFA Rest of the World XI against England during the Football Association's centenary match at Wembley.
Eleven Goals in Seven Scotland Games
Law scored eleven goals across seven senior Scotland appearances during an exceptionally productive international year.
1964
European Footballer Award Recognition
Law became the first Scot to receive the Ballon d'Or, an honour that reflected his remarkable form for Manchester United.
Law Wins European Player Award
Denis Law wins the 1964 Ballon d’Or following his prolific goalscoring for Manchester United, becoming a Scottish recipient of Europe’s most prestigious individual football prize.
Manchester United Forty Six Goal Season
Law scored forty-six goals in all competitions for United during the 1963-64 campaign, establishing an enduring club record.
1965
Twenty Eight Goals in Title Campaign
Law scored twenty-eight league goals as United finished above their rivals to regain the First Division championship.
United First Division Championship
Law's movement and sharp finishing helped United win the English league title during the 1964-65 season.
1966
Scotland Forward During World Cup Year
Law continued to lead Scotland's attack in a period when injury and club demands complicated international selection.
1967
Scotland Wembley Victory Over England
Law scored for Scotland as the side beat reigning world champions England 3-2 in a celebrated Wembley international.
Second United League Championship
Law contributed goals to the Manchester United team that won the First Division again in 1966-67.
1968
European Final Missed Through Injury
Law missed United's European Cup final triumph over Benfica because of a knee injury, despite contributing to the club's rise to continental prominence.
1969
Knee Problems Restrict United Appearances
Recurring knee trouble increasingly limited Law's availability as United adjusted after Matt Busby's championship era.
1970
United Veteran Attacking Leadership
Law remained a senior attacking figure at Old Trafford as Manchester United faced an increasingly difficult transitional period.
1971
Scotland Senior Striker Returns
Law continued to represent Scotland while managing knee problems that reduced his club playing time.
1972
United Final Full Campaign
Law made the closing appearances of his long Manchester United career as the club sought a more settled attacking line.
1973
Manchester City Return
Law rejoined Manchester City after eleven years at United and added experience to the rival club's forward options.
1974
Old Trafford Derby Backheel Goal
Law back-heeled Manchester City's winner against United and declined to celebrate in a match associated with his former club's relegation.
Final Scotland Appearance Against Zaire
Law started Scotland's opening World Cup victory over Zaire, his final international appearance after a distinguished career.
Professional Playing Retirement
Law ended his professional playing career after returning to Manchester City, with a reputation built on hundreds of top-flight goals.
Scotland World Cup Group Campaign
Law travelled with Scotland to the World Cup finals in West Germany, where the unbeaten national team exited on goal difference.
2002
Old Trafford Stretford End Statue Unveiled
A statue of Law was unveiled at Old Trafford in recognition of his contribution to Manchester United and Scottish football.
2003
Scottish Golden Player Honour
The Scottish Football Association named Law its Golden Player as part of UEFA's fiftieth-anniversary celebrations.
2004
Scottish Football Hall of Fame Induction
Law was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his international record and club achievements.
2008
United European Triumph Anniversary
Law's contribution to United's 1960s rise was recalled during commemorations of the club's first European Cup victory.
2011
Manchester United Trinity Commemoration
The celebrated attacking partnership of Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton remained central to Manchester United heritage events.
2016
Scottish Goal Record Recognition
Law's thirty goals for Scotland remained a joint national record for the men's senior team alongside Kenny Dalglish.
2021
Dementia Diagnosis Made Public
Law's family announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, prompting tributes to his career and public concern for former players.
2025
Death of Scotland and United Legend
Law died aged eighty-four, and football clubs and supporters honoured the former Scotland forward and Ballon d'Or winner.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.