H
Henrik Larsson stands before the stretch of grass where he initially acquired his ball-kicking skills. Behind him stands the set of apartments where he grew up and his mother would call him in for meals from their balcony. In front of him are the swings he would use for shooting practice and the frozen ponds where he would play ice hockey during the winter.
Located on the edges of Helsingborg, Närlunda is a peaceful property situated near the southernmost point of Sweden. Despite its picturesque and lush high-rise buildings, Närlunda is a complex location, having been the site of a violent killing in 2021 when a man was fatally shot in a nearby underpass. Similarly, Larsson himself is a complex individual, with a strong sense of patriotism but also struggling with his own sense of self.
“I view myself as a foreigner,” Larsson admits, glancing up at the apartment. “To be honest, I’m not sure what my identity is. I am aware that I have played for Sweden 106 times. I suppose I am Swedish, to some extent. But I never truly felt completely Swedish. I must acknowledge my father’s [Cape Verde] heritage, perhaps that’s why, but I only began to feel Swedish once I found success on the football field. When you have nothing, you are insignificant. But when you become something, you become a part of society. Then people forget your origins and race.”
That feeling of otherness – also touched on by Zlatan Ibrahimovic regarding his upbringing in nearby Malmö – lingers for Larsson despite Helsingborg celebrating its most famous son by building a statue of him in 2011 on the city’s coastline.
Different nationalities like Yugoslavia, Greece, and Finland were residing in this area, but I was the only one with a darker skin tone. I had several confrontations here. If they insulted me with a racial slur or other derogatory terms, I would fight back. I believe this behavior originated from my upbringing. You have to defend yourself. It was a challenging upbringing, but I had two choices: to give up and be upset or overcome it. I selected the latter.
During the interview, Larsson receives a phone call about his elderly father, who has dementia and lives close by. He expresses his concern about the situation before leaving. Later, he calls to express his gratitude for the coffee. Despite his calm demeanor, Larsson exhibits a sense of vulnerability and articulateness, while remaining courteous yet direct. It is a perplexing combination of traits.
Barcelona’s success in the 2006 Champions League final would have been doubtful without Larsson’s presence, as he provided two key assists after coming off the bench against Arsenal. Supporters of Feyenoord and Manchester United may question what could have happened if their teams had acquired the striker during his peak years, rather than at the beginning or end of his career.
Larsson’s time with Celtic was the defining moment of his career, earning him the title of “King of Kings.” During his successful seven-year tenure in Glasgow, Larsson impressively scored 242 goals in 315 games and 35 goals in 58 European matches. He stands out as one of the few players to have achieved world-class status while playing in Scotland, evidenced by his victory over Hernán Crespo for the 2001 European Golden Boot award after a record-breaking 53-goal season. He is highly regarded by many as the club’s greatest player.
“The addition of players by Martin O’Neill contributed to my development as a player,” says Larsson. “Chris Sutton, Alan Thompson, and John Hartson were all integral members of our team. We achieved success, defeating Blackburn and Liverpool, on our journey to the 2003 Uefa Cup final. We had a formidable team with 16 or 17 international players. Celtic and Rangers were stronger at that time compared to now.”
Display the image in full screen mode.
During our match against Rangers, there was a strong dislike between us. However, once the game was over, we became friends. I didn’t have any issues with most of the Rangers supporters. On one occasion, when I was with my friend and Rangers player Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who had just purchased a new Porsche, we were in Uddingston picking up some takeout food. Chinese food, particularly peking duck, was our go-to after games. A drunken Rangers fan was unhappy when he saw me and the new car and started walking towards it until Giovanni intervened and took him away. I enjoyed the intensity of the rivalry, although it took some time for me to get used to it. Now I understand the meaning behind it, but at the beginning, I did not.
Larsson joined the team in 1997 after a turbulent time at Feyenoord. He was instrumental in helping Sweden place third at the 1994 World Cup, but his talents were not utilized effectively at Feyenoord, often playing him in midfield or not at all. When Feyenoord legend Wim Jansen became the manager of Celtic, he immediately signed Larsson for £650,000. The Swedish player, known for his dreadlocks inspired by Ruud Gullit and Bob Marley, scored 16 goals that helped prevent Rangers from winning their 10th consecutive title in 1998.
The turning point at Celtic came during the Uefa Cup final, which is considered to be one of Larsson’s greatest performances for the club. He scored two goals, but the team ultimately lost 3-2 in extra time to José Mourinho’s Porto, who went on to win the Champions League the following year. Larsson expresses regret for not doing more in that game, acknowledging its significance to the passionate Celtic supporters who showed up in large numbers at the 50,000 seat stadium in Seville.
Larsson informed the club shortly after that the next season would be his last. His teary departure in front of a packed Celtic Park and final interview alongside a crestfallen O’Neill are legendary.
“I am typically not very expressive, but I am a sentimental individual,” Larsson states. “My time at Celtic spanned seven years, and if I had left without shedding a few tears, something would have felt off. While it was not my intention to cry, my heart guided my emotions. I do not typically display a lot of sentiment, so I believe it may have surprised some individuals.”
After announcing my departure from Celtic, I received approximately 30 offers from multiple countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and even one from the UAE. My wife, Magdalena, called me and informed me that Barcelona had expressed interest in me. At the time, I was focusing on playing for Sweden in the 2004 Euros and asked Magdalena to tell them to wait, as I didn’t want to be distracted from my preparations. However, she responded with laughter, saying, “I don’t believe they will wait.” She then took it upon herself, alongside my agent, to handle the negotiations in Spain.
Skip over the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
The atmosphere in the dressing room here at Barcelona was quite different from that at Celtic. With the addition of players like Ronaldinho, Deco, Ludovic Giuly, and Samuel Eto’o, I was no longer the focus of attention. It was a refreshing change, and Ronaldinho took on the responsibility well, handling the pressure in his own unique way.
Larsson was a popular player at Barcelona because of his ability to score goals and his strong work ethic, but there was a chance he would not be included in the squad for the 2006 Champions League final. Both he and Lionel Messi were dealing with hamstring injuries during the lead up to the game. It was a close call between Larsson and Messi, but ultimately Messi watched from the stands while Larsson made it to the bench. This was before Messi had reached his full potential and become the top player he is known as today. Additionally, with the knowledge that they were facing an English team, coach Frank Rijkaard recognized Larsson’s experience with physical play.
On the field, Thierry Henry of Arsenal was certain who made the ultimate impact. “Let’s discuss the players who really create the difference. That person was Henrik Larsson, with two helpful passes. I did not see Ronaldinho or Eto’o.”
In the summer, Larsson departed from Barcelona after scoring against England, managed by Sven-Göran Eriksson, at the World Cup. Larsson believes that Eriksson is the best manager that has left their country. Unfortunately, Eriksson is currently unwell, but they always shared a connection. In 1989, Helsingborg made an agreement that their most promising player of the year could train with Benfica, where Eriksson was the manager. Larsson spent a week there and it went well. Eriksson mentioned that if it wasn’t for the limit of three foreign players, he would have signed Larsson.
After the 2006 World Cup, Larsson, still performing at his peak at the age of 34, surprised everyone by returning to Helsingborg. However, his time there was short-lived as he was quickly snatched up by Manchester United. Despite only being with the team for three months, his skills impressed both his teammates and coach Sir Alex Ferguson.
“When I became a player for Manchester United, my brother Kim had a baptism for one of his sons,” Larsson recalls. “I asked Sir Alex if it was feasible for me to attend. He organized a private jet for me to return home after a match. Despite only spending 10 weeks there, Sir Alex and my teammates at the Lowry hotel, including Louis Saha, Patrice Evra, and Wayne Rooney, welcomed me with open arms. This show of care inspired me to always give my best for the team. It was truly an honor to wear the Manchester United jersey.”
Larsson, a new grandfather, remains busy with his own clothing line and a golf habit acquired in Scotland. His son, Jordan (named after Michael Jordan), plays professionally for FC Copenhagen after leaving Spartak Moscow just before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “Jordan had a new-born child with his now wife. They had to leave a lot of things behind. He took one of the last private jets out of Russia. It was just about him getting out.”
Recently, Larsson Sr. was a coach on Ronald Koeman’s team at Barcelona, but he has lost his passion for football.
“I am feeling exhausted from the game. I experienced this exhaustion when I was a coach in Barcelona, but I still wanted to confirm what I already knew. The pressure and expectations are extremely high. It was devastating to see how Koeman and I were fired. The current state of the game is centered around money more than ever before. I acknowledge that I have made a good amount of money from my career, but I cannot be compared to a factory worker. As a professional player, I have always prioritized my love for the game over money.”
In the 1990s, an opportunity arose for me to join Manchester United from Celtic. If I had accepted, I could have potentially earned an extra £10,000 to £15,000 per week. However, at that time, I had recently finished a tumultuous three and a half years at Feyenoord and had just settled in at Celtic. I was content with my progress and did not feel the need to move on. We had competed in the Uefa Cup and I had also played for Sweden, so I felt satisfied with where I was. Ultimately, I did not become a superstar at Barcelona, but rather at Celtic.
Source: theguardian.com
