the forgotten. Henrik Rydström never stops working.
Malmö FF’s Hugo Larsson experienced it – on Christmas Eve.
– Mid Donald Duck, send me clips of Rodri from Manchester City! He is dedicated, says the 18-year-old who is making his senior debut for his country against Finland today.
What distinguishes super talent?
When Alexander Isaacs set out, there was a certain quality that stood out. The ability to seem instantly comfortable every time he moves to a new, harsher environment. He has smoothly managed the steps from youth football, U-21 football, Olsvenskan football, European football to national football.
Hugo Larsson has the same experience. In one season, a teenager climbs several steps that others have to struggle with for years. First training matches, then Allsvenskan, then the Europa League and now also the national team with the January tour.
Hugo is an extraordinary talent. It’s impossible to get away from playing in Malmö. They haven’t had a great season, but you still have to wear a jersey in this team, says national team captain Jan Andersson.
What do you like most about Hugo?
– All. He is important as a player. Many people here know a lot and this also applies to Hugo. When you see his actions, you can’t believe he’s only 18 years old. He has a very mature manner. Really cool player.
It has also been seen on training sessions in Portugal. Larsson guides and sets up, dares to play with a high degree of difficulty and is one of the Swedes most impressed during camp. Tonight he will start with Samuel Gustafsson in midfield in the international match against Finland.
Even off the field, Larsson stood out for his confident and quirky personality. He’s not a particularly shy teen who snaps in front of the Sportbladet Envoy.
– It was a very good feeling. I find this is a level I can handle quite well. It’s fun to train with talented soccer players and coaches. very high standard.
“It’s tough in a camp like this.”
How is it different from everyday life in Malmö?
– There is more push here because everyone wants to show how good they are and that they will play the next match. It’s similar to Malmö, but it gets more extreme in a camp like this.
Along with Dennis Hadzikadonik, Larson were two strong, lonely, and smoldering characters on MFF’s season of Too Black. The latter made increasingly big strides during the year and finished 2022 fairly regularly at Sweden’s biggest club. The grace of the ball, running power and understanding of the game marked Larsson’s mature game.
– For me, purely individually, the year has all ten out of ten. Then it wasn’t good for the team because we didn’t manage more than one gold cup. For my part, I didn’t think it would happen so quickly. But my role on the team grew, and during the fall he was playing time week after week. Incredible fun.
Throughout the season, teammates, led by team captain Anders Christiansen, constantly praised the young talent.
– Having such great profiles saying so many nice things gave me an extra boost. There has always been some comments or praise. Which gave me strength and the feeling of it flowing.
Christiansen also told Kvalsposten that he believes Larsson should leave Malmö quickly for the sake of his development. A statement that may not have been entirely popular with supporters.
– Hugo could just as easily have played at Union Berlin right now and you’d have better opposition in the Bundesliga than he does in the Allsvenskan. And then you don’t have to play a lot of matches on artificial turf. Once he gets the chance, he’ll be on his way. Then I talk about what’s best for him. For Malmö, of course I want him to play here as long as possible, Christiansen told KVP.
What do you say about that, Hugo?
– It was funny that he thought I was at a higher level than Allsvenskan. I felt that in the Europa League, I belong there too. But I also felt good about this year in Malmö because of its proximity to family, friends and school. I can understand that some supporters may not have thought it was nice to hear, but it may have been a comment he just said on the fly.
About Step: “A decision must be made soon”
Larsson is also promising this dignity, with many clubs in Europe’s top five leagues showing strong interest, of course.
Talents at a level similar to yours, such as Alexander Isak and Williot Swedberg, often left Allsvenskan after only a few seasons. And then it will not be possible to hold you back any longer. How do you see the future?
– Clearly a move is an option that I may have to make up my mind soon. Or within the next six months anyway. At the same time, I am enjoying Malmö very well. I’m sure we’ll have a very good season. It would take a lot for me to move now, but of course I wouldn’t close any doors either.
The slender and unexpectedly quick teenager could play in all midfield positions. As a box sitting six, square running to the eighth square or attacking ten.
what do you prefer?
– Now I like the role of sitting. Previously she might have been eight, but now during the fall she’s got a clear turn as sixth. Before that I was on the move. During my younger years I was probably more dynamic, attacking and mobile, and that will probably be the case in senior football in the future, but the feeling now is that I want to be sixth.
Additional defensive responsibility doesn’t always come naturally.
– It’s a little frustrating when you’re hitting a pass forward and want to follow up and run, but then your back yells that you have to stay.
What else was the hardest to learn?
– the last third. I’ve always been a player who scored a lot of points and contributed offensively, but it’s much more difficult in senior football. There is a big step and we really want to develop in that game.
Desire for Rydstrom
In talks with the new Henrik Rydström, Hugo Larsson was careful about one thing.
– I had a little chat with him and he explained how I would fit in football. looks good. I understand that it can be a bit different from game to game in the way we play, but I was clear from the start that I wanted to know what role I was going to play. So I can set it early. Then it can be different if we play with sixes or sixes, for example.
Is it important to define your role?
– yes. Then if it’s six or eight, or ten, we’ll see. He decides where he thinks I’m the best. But I would like to know so that I can learn it quickly.
He is looking forward to starting work with Rydstrom.
– I’ve only heard good things, not least here with the boys in the national team. Also Sebastian Nanase from Malmö who had it in Kalmar. I must say he seems very ambitious and observant.
He already has his own experience with that. Rydstrom is known as an obvious workaholic. This also applies during holidays.
– Send me text messages and clips about Christmas Eve football.
Is this correct?
– HHHH Yes. We had a discussion about how to play very late before Christmas. So in the middle of Calle Anca, I saw that he had sent me clips of Rodri from Manchester City that he wanted me to watch. He is dedicated, which I love.
Rodri – So it starts to smell like sex anyway?
– We’ve talked about the same things. But we’ll see if I play like Rodri or Gundogan (City’s more attacking midfielder), says Larsson and laughs.
Was Rodri even the heart of defense in the Spanish national team?
– lol. Well… you shouldn’t say much, but you’d better not say centre-back.
The talent in Malmö who will be the ‘next Hugo Larsson’
What is the most important thing for Malmö to be able to win gold this year?
– Last year we learned that we couldn’t sit still. You cannot be satisfied. In Malmö, we have to be vigilant all the time. We must not relax, but we must lead the whole season. So, it’s good to have a new and ambitious coach and it looks like a perfect match.
Larsson believes that the fact that Rydström is so focused on football theory, with homework and theory sessions, makes sense.
– It is understood that business days may be a little longer. But I think it might be useful for us to have some soccer lessons.
You guys are well acquainted with Malmö’s young players – who can break through this year?
– My good friend Hugo Bolin. He’s a year older than her, and was born in 2003. He’s had a great year on loan at Olimpic and Hugo will develop in a similar way as I did in 2022. Larsson really says he’s blossomed and continues:
– We played many years in the youth team and I know how good it is. It was great to have him properly into the first team because I hope he can go on a similar journey. It’s a little more offensive than me: a wing or ten.
I’ve lost two players recently, Jo Inge Berget and Adi Nalic. What do you think about this?
– Joe Inge is a very good player and a nice person. Sadly, he wouldn’t stay, but they didn’t agree. This is the world of football. Uday is a friend of mine and I am happy for him as a person. Maybe he wanted to make that decision and it’s fun for him afterwards. But I didn’t go from Malmö to Hammarby, but that’s his choice. It’s a rivalry that probably shouldn’t be bothered.
Sweden meets Finland at the Estádio Algarve in Portugal on Monday night. The match starts at 19.45 and is broadcast on TV4.