Henrik Larsson – Easily the best player in Scottish football this century

Legend, world class, superstar, icon. That’s just a few of the words you can use to describe the one and only Henrik Larsson, our self proclaimed King of Kings.

Henrik is undoubtedly a Celtic legend and will be remembered in the same ilk as the likes of Willie Maley, Patsy Gallagher, Jimmy McGrory, Charlie Tully, Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions, Kenny Dalglish, Danny McGrain and Paul McStay. He was that good and deserves to be immortalised just like these legendary figures.

Those of us lucky enough to watch Henrik in his pomp will be telling our grandkids the same kind of stories  told to us about the likes of the Lisbon Lions by our fathers and grandfathers. Henrik was that good, and sometimes you only appreciate how good he was when you rewatch the old clips. He was genuinely World class.

When Jim Craig asked Bertie Auld if Henrik Larsson would have been good enough to get into the Lisbon Lions side, Wee Bertie did not hesitate in saying, definitely. Jim Craig then asked where he’d play him, Bertie replies “at right back!”

Henrik was the last world class footballer to play for our club, and indeed the last one to play in Scottish football, no one even comes remotely close to matching Henrik Larsson. And it’s frustrating that we’re unlikely to see his likes again wearing the Hoops.

He had strength, he was skilful, he was deadly with both feet, for someone who wasn’t the biggest he was also one of the best headers of a ball I’ve ever seen. His two goals in Seville are testament to that. He was the complete centre forward, the perfect footballer, he was also a leader and a real team player and he found a home in football at Celtic and despite the offers from elsewhere he was happy to stay at Celtic for seven magical years. Compare and contrast with so many others who couldn’t wait to get a move, the most recent just last summer when Jota chased the money rather than the Glory and the Dream.

No one can even use the ‘he only did it in Scotland’ excuse. Henrik gave Celtic his best years then  left to do it all again and Barcelona and finally at ManchesterUnited. He was outstanding  in European football at club level, and at international level he scored in European Championships and World Cups. He was idolised in the world game.

If he was playing today, in his prime Henrik would command a hefty price tag. That’s not in question.

Sadly we will never see his likes at Celtic or in Scottish football again for that matter. Legend is a word used loosely these days, but Henrik Larsson is and always will be a legend at Celtic football club and incidentally also at Barcelona. Thanks for all the Celtic memories, Henrik, the Celtic support will be talking about you in a hundred years from now, that is guaranteed.

Enjoy our King of Kings Photo Gallery of Henrik starring for Celtic, below…