Hugo Larsson (Ystad, 6/27/2004) had a hard time getting his growth spurt. The 20-year-old Swedish international remained in Malmö’s under-16 team while many of his teammates made the jump.
“Not everything was brilliant, but I kept believing. I was short when I was little. The fact that others rose quickly could be considered a kind of setback, but I think it was good for me to stay and lead the team, play a lot and take on responsibilities,” he acknowledged. to ‘Gasetten’.
“Not everything was brilliant, but I kept believing. When I was little I was short
Hugo Larsson
Suddenly, he grew – he is 1.87 meters tall – and everything came to him at once. He went from standing out in the Youth League League to making his debut with the first team in the Cup on February 20, 2022. He was 17 years, 7 months and 24 days old. It wouldn’t move anymore. He finished the season with 38 games under his belt – he scored a goal and gave an assist – and was named ‘Best Young Player’ in the Swedish League. His first goal, curiously, coincided with the goodbye of a myth: Ola Toivonen.
The Hugo Larsson Driblab Performance Chart
“I haven’t seen a young man with so much self-confidence for a long time”
“A year ago I was captain of the under 17 team. Everything has gone faster than I expected,” he confessed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a young boy with so much self-confidence. Just look at the way he plays, how he grabs the ball and drives forward,” underlined his former teammate Andres Christiansen.
In his second season he helped Malmö win the League and Cup… but he left before the end of the year. Eintracht Frankfurt was quick: they paid 9 million euros for his services, making it, at the time, the most expensive transfer in the history of the Allsvenskan.
A “box-to-box” compared to Rodri
Larsson, right-footed, can act as a midfielder, interior, pivot or even playmaker. “I see myself as a box-to-box player. Preferably as a number ‘8’, although I also like to play as a 10,” he says.
Upon his arrival in Frankfurt, the official Bundesliga website quickly compared him to Rodri. “He plays most comfortable at the base of the midfield, protecting his defence. However, he has the technical ability to break lines and deliver deadly passes. His height gives him great presence and his athletic ability is striking, underlined by his quick change of pace “Larsson’s game has shades of the Spanish holding midfielder Rodri.”
On the agenda of the greats, Madrid included
Eintracht’s ’16’ closed his first season in the Bundesliga with two goals – one, a great goal, in the 5-1 win over Bayern – and two assists in 38 games. Figures that he has already smashed this season: he has four goals and an assist in 19 games. Hence, the ‘eagles’, who have had seven consecutive victories and nine games without losing, rushed to renew their contract until 2029.
However, from Germany, both ‘Bild’ and ‘Sky’ suggest that it will last rather little at Deutsche Bank Park. Patrik Berger assures that “Real Madrid, Manchester United and many other top clubs in Europe” have been interested in his contractual situation. What’s more, he adds that the white team already had good reports from the Swede when he played for Malmö.
“In the last 14 or 15 months he has taken giant steps. He wants to improve in every detail,” suggests his coach, Dino Toppmöller. However, he is reluctant to lose him so soon: “Just because he continues to develop like this doesn’t mean he won’t be here next season.” However, Larsson does not have the non-transferable sign. Berger, in fact, points out that Eintracht could listen to offers starting at 50 million euros.
In the last 14 or 15 months he has taken giant steps, but that does not mean that he will not be here next season
Dino Toppmöller
He came to try out with Chelsea
Larsson landed at Malmö in 2016, aged 12. There is something that, however, many people do not know. Before making his debut with the first team, he tried out for Chelsea.
Hugo Larsson and Omar Marmoush celebrate Eintract Frankfurt’s third goal against Heidenheim.Lapresse
“It was a great experience. I played in a tournament with them and scored a goal, but it was all a bit premature. I thought it was better to continue my development at home. I wanted to make my way at Malmö before going abroad,” he recalls.
