Henrik Larsson is truly one of the most iconic players ever to have pulled on the Celtic jersey in the club’s history.
Bought as a relatively unknown striker by Wim Jansen from Feyenoord for £650,000, Henrik Larsson went on to score 242 goals in 315 appearances for Celtic making him the club’s third top goalscorer of all time, behind Bobby Lennox and Jimmy McGrory.
Larsson won four league titles, four Scottish Cups and two League Cups and helped make Celtic a force in Europe once more by reaching their first European final since 1970 when Celtic reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final.
Now retired from football, an event, An Evening with Henrik Larsson, was recently held where the Swedish legend was joined by his former manager, Martin O’Neill and strike partner, Chris Sutton to speak about Larsson’s time at Celtic.
And as the night wore on, that famous chip over Stefan Klos in Celtic’s 6-2 demolition of Rangers came up.
Martin O’Neill brutally winds up Sutton over Celtic hero Henrik Larsson’s goal vs Rangers
Describing that goal, Larsson said, “It was a great assist from Chris, obviously. And collecting the ball here I already decided I would chip Klos because he’s he’s far out of the goal.
“And I’m here. I’m just trying to get in front of Tugay, I think it is, and Konterman and there you see the keeper’s far out.
“So I thought the best chance for me to score the goal was to think it over him. Simple.”
Sutton replied, “He makes that sound very easy. He is one of the only people I know who would contemplate trying that because the margin of error of getting that wrong is so fine.
“I mean, I wouldn’t have dared do that.”
O’Neill, sharp as a tack replied, “You couldn’t have done it, never mind daring do it.”
Interjecting, host, Gerry McCulloch, tried to put up a defence for Sutton by reminding O’Neill that he did come up with a great chip against Rangers in the last minute.
Again, on point, the former Celtic boss said, “Have you got it [the footage]?” and when told no, O’Neill said, “Well then I stand by what I said.”
The audience was in raptures and Sutton, to be fair, took the joke in the spirit in which it was meant. You can watch the full exchange here:
Henrik Larsson’s final game at Celtic Park
The 16th of May 2004 is a day etched in the memory of many Celtic fans as one of the toughest they have ever experienced at Celtic Park.
It was, of course, the last time Henrik Larsson pulled on the famous green and white Hoops at Celtic Park before bidding farewell for Barcelona.
And in true Larsson style, the Celtic legend signed off with this:
Walking off the Parkhead pitch in tears, Larsson reduced the 60,000 Celtic fans inside the stadium to tears as well.
Because Celtic will never see the likes of Larsson again. A true world-class footballer and still revered by every Celtic fan around the world for the service he gave to the club.
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