This is how Hugo Larsson plays, the midfielder who Germany has placed in the orbit of Real Madrid
'Sky' claims that Los Blancos were already following him at Malmö, before he signed for Eintracht
Hugo Larsson (Ystad, 27-6-2004) had a hard time making the big leap. The 20-year-old Swedish international remained with Malmö’s under-16s 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 a step backward, but I think it was good for me to stay and lead the team, play a lot, and take responsibility,“ he told ‘Gasetten’.
“Not everything was brilliant, but I kept believing. As a child I was short
Suddenly, he grew up – he is 1.87 meters tall – and everything came to him at once. He went from standing out in the Youth 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. He would not move again. He finished the season with 38 games under his belt – he scored one goal and gave one assist – and was named ‘Best Young Player’ in the Swedish League. His first goal, curiously, coincided with the farewell of a legend: Hello Toivonen.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a young man with so much self-confidence”
“A year ago I was captain of the U17s. Everything has gone quicker than I expected,” he admitted. “It’s been a long time since I saw such a young boy with so much self-confidence. You just have to see the way he plays, how he grabs the ball and drives forward,” said his now 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 were quick to respond, paying €9 million for his services, making him the most expensive transfer in Allsvenskan history at the time.
A “box-to-box” compared to Rodri
Larsson, who is right-footed, can play as a central midfielder, inside midfielder, pivot or even as an attacking midfielder. “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 Bundesliga’s official website was quick to compare him to Rodri. “He plays most comfortably at the base of midfield, protecting his defence. However, he has the technical ability to break lines and launch deadly passes. His height gives him a great presence and his athleticism is striking, underlined by his quick change of pace. Larsson’s game has shades of the Spanish holding midfielder Rodri.“
