The smile is back. Actually, it was never gone. But Hugo Larsson hasn’t been able to show his playing skills to a wider public recently – and mostly smile while doing it. The young Swede, still only 19 years old, is an optimistic, cheerful person. “I’m very, very happy,” he said on Wednesday.
The Eintracht midfielder not only related this to his rapid development at the Frankfurt Bundesliga club, but also to his situation as a whole. When he decided to leave Malmö, “the FC Bayern of Sweden,” as he says, last summer, it was tantamount to jumping into the deep end.
Larsson had never before played the ball abroad as a professional footballer. He still finds it “wonderful” that he chose the ambitious Eintracht, who recently regularly represented in the European Cup. He immediately fought for a regular place in coach Dino Toppmöller’s team. “I talk a lot with Dino, who gives me tips and shows videos,” said Larsson in a media round at Eintracht’s professional camp.
“I dreamed it”
This Saturday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky) he wants to be there again, get involved and help put an end to the seemingly constant series of draws. Certainly: VfB Stuttgart is the favorite, but Larsson is not thinking about a defeat against the third-place team. He feels fit again. A muscle injury, which he refers to in the adductor muscles, has recently affected him. “Maybe even a fiber has broken,” he said. Doesn’t matter.
The Swede feels healed and no longer wastes any thought on the first real setback of his young career, when he suffered a tendon injury in his thigh in the 1-1 draw against VfL Bochum on February 10th and his injury in the 21st minute of the game Had to quit work. Larsson is again a candidate for the starting eleven against Stuttgart – as he has been most of the time this season, “in which things went well for me”. Even more than this. “It was better than I could have hoped for. I dreamed it.”
Larsson, who is usually in the six-man position, scored two goals. “Too little,” he thinks. “That has to get better.” Looking back, the playful collaboration with Ellyes Skhiri, who was next to me, was great. “We don’t just get along well on the pitch,” says Larsson, who is happy that he can learn from and look up to such an experienced national player. “The two of us are a good combo,” says the Swede about his relationship with the Tunisian.
Larsson would love to start playing football straight away. He came to the interview at the professional camp briefly in his first-class Frankfurt work clothes. But his hour will still come. His plan for the season finale: “I want to be there for all six games. I have a good feeling.” Larsson radiates confidence, joy of life and optimism. He smiles a lot, speaks in English almost all the time, but also confirms: “Yes, I go to German class once a week.”
Of course, it didn’t go unnoticed that other interested parties also became aware of the creative hard worker in front of the defense. But with a smile on his lips, he waves away several times. “I have signed a long-term contract here. I feel very, very comfortable here in Frankfurt. I would like to continue to improve and develop in the future.”
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Sentences that should be well received by his superiors. The contractual agreement stipulates that Larsson will be employed by Eintracht until summer 2028. He doesn’t feel particularly homesick for Sweden. “When we had two or three days off in a row, I flew home. It was very stressful and I was more tired than before,” he says – and smiles. Larsson is one of the surprises of this season.
One that Toppmöller can rely on. One that also draws the eye across the canal. After all, his role model is set in England. “Yes, Declan Rice from Arsenal, I think he’s good. We Swedes love the Premier League. It is the best league in the world.” The fact that the young Swede Larsson ended up in the Bundesliga at the start of his European football adventure does not have to be the end. But it is a start. A very good one, actually.
