Henrik Larsson is one of the greatest players to pull on the Celtic jersey and his name will be immortalised forever on the slopes of Parkhead.
Signing from Feyenoord, he enjoyed seven sensational years at the Bhoys, scoring 242 goals in 315 appearances and playing a starring role in four Scottish Premiership title triumphs, a couple of Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cup trophies apiece [Celtic FC].
The Road to Seville also holds a special place in Celtic hearts, though it is just the tip of the iceberg when analysing his impact at Parkhead.
Leaving in 2004, Larsson went on to achieve further stardom at Barcelona and Manchester United, laying claim to two La Liga trophies, one Champions League and the Premier League crown before finishing his career at Helsingborgs IF, where he started out [Transfermarkt].
Famously, Thierry Henry was on the opposing side as Barcelona defeated Arsenal 2-1 at Stade de France to win the 2006 edition of the UEFA Champions League.
Sweden’s legendary striker came off the bench to record two vital assists for La Blaugrana as they turned the tide against the Gunners.
Henry stated in his post-match interview [GIVEMESPORT]: “All the time you talk about Ronaldinho and Eto’o and people like that. Let’s talk about the proper people who make the difference, that was Henrik Larsson, who made two assists. I didn’t see Ronaldinho and I didn’t see Eto’o.”
Celtic icon Henrik Larsson gives insight into Barcelona move
Nearly 20 years later, Larsson provided insight into his move to Barcelona from Celtic in a recent interview with FourFourTwo magazine.
He stated: “[Frank Rijkaard] was honest: he told me that maybe I wouldn’t be an undisputed starter, but he wanted a player to complement the team.
“I’m not going to lie; I would have liked to play more. You have to be mentally strong to accept that role – in fact, I didn’t accept it, because I always tried to be a starter.
“But I always prepared as if I would be in the line-up. It wasn’t easy.”
During his time at Camp Nou, the 52-year-old netted 19 times and laid on a further six assists in 59 outings across all competitions [Transfermarkt].
Of course, one of his strikes came at Parkhead just 111 days after leaving Glasgow, which would’ve been a heartbreaking yet surreal experience for anyone in attendance [Guardian].
Either way, he proved to the world that he could succeed at the elite level, and fans of Barcelona and Manchester United would verify that in an instant.
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