Henrik Larsson
The striker who led Celtic to four league titles and a UEFA Cup final.
Henrik Larsson joined Celtic from Helsingborg in July 1997 for a fee of £650,000. He played seven years at the club, scoring 242 goals in 313 matches. In his first season, he helped Celtic win their first league title in ten years and the Scottish League Cup. He won four league titles in total. Larsson scored both goals in the 2003 UEFA Cup final against Porto, though Celtic lost 3–2 in extra time.
- Role
- Striker
- Affiliation
- Celtic FC (1997–2004)
- Total Goals
- 242 goals in 313 matches
- Major Honours
- 4 Scottish Premier League titles, 3 Scottish Cups, 4 Scottish League Cups
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Larsson suffered a broken leg in two places during a UEFA Cup tie against Lyon in October 1999. He returned the following season to score 53 goals, winning the European Golden Shoe. Fans nicknamed him 'The King of Kings' based on his 242 goals in 313 matches. He was signed by manager Wim Jansen and later played under John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish (as interim), and Martin O'Neill.
In Their Own Story
On his debut against Hibernian at Easter Road, Larsson came on as a late substitute but inadvertently passed the ball to Chic Charnley, who scored in a 2–1 defeat. He later scored Celtic's second goal in a 3–0 Scottish League Cup win over Dundee United and the opener in a 2–0 victory against St Johnstone to clinch the league title on the final day of his first season. In November 1998, he scored two goals in a 5–1 Old Firm victory.
Reader's Guide
Larsson's time at Celtic began with Wim Jansen and included a loan spell at Manchester United where he won the English Premier League in 2006–07. He left Celtic after seven years to join Barcelona, winning two Spanish titles and the Champions League before returning to Helsingborg.
Did You Know?
- Larsson was signed by Celtic for a fee of £650,000 in July 1997.
- He won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 53 goals in the 2000–01 season.
- Larsson scored both goals in the 2003 UEFA Cup final against Porto.
- Fans nicknamed him 'The King of Kings' due to his goal record at the club.
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