Bo-Göran "Bosse" Larsson (5 May 1944 – 18 December 2023) was a Swedish professional footballer who played as a midfielder and striker. Best remembered for his time with Malmö FF, he also represented VfB Stuttgart and Trelleborgs FF during his career. A full international between 1964 and 1978, he won 70 caps for the Sweden national team and scored 17 goals. He also represented Sweden at the 1970, 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups.

Bosse Larsson
Larsson in 1965
Personal information
Full name Bo-Göran Larsson
Date of birth (1944-05-05)5 May 1944
Place of birth Malmö, Sweden
Date of death 18 December 2023(2023-12-18) (aged 79)
Place of death Malmö, Sweden
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1966 Malmö FF 86 (67)
1966–1969 VfB Stuttgart 88 (21)
1969–1979 Malmö FF 222 (52)
1980 Trelleborgs FF
International career
1961–1962 Sweden U19 6 (0)
1963–1964 Sweden U21 3 (1)
1963–1965 Sweden B 3 (6)
1964–1978 Sweden 70 (17)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Most of his club career he played for Malmö FF where he won the league championship several times. Between 1966 and 1969 he was an appreciated professional for VfB Stuttgart scoring 21 times in 88 games. As the best player in the team and loved by the supporters he was also awarded "Athlete of the Year" in 1969 by the city of Stuttgart. According to many he had a by far too short career as a professional player, but his wife Anita never settled to life in Germany, which made him move back home to Malmö that same summer.

Larsson was awarded the Guldbollen (the golden ball) in 1965 and 1973,[1] and was the first to be awarded twice. In Malmö FF and among its supporters Bosse holds an iconic status and is regarded as the club's greatest player ever.

International career

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Bosse Larsson was one of the Sweden national team profiles during the 1970s. In total he got 70 caps, scoring 17 times, and played at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, 1974 FIFA World Cup and 1978 FIFA World Cup. The Sweden men's national team manager Georg "Åby" Ericson used to say that; "When picking a Swedish national squad you start by picking Bosse Larsson, then you start thinking about which other players to pick". Beside Nils Liedholm, Bosse Larsson is regarded as Sweden's most complete player ever, being able to actually play at almost any position on the pitch.

Personal life

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Larsson later lived in Malmö. In September 2007 a book titled "Bosse Larsson" was released. The book, written by Jonny Ambrius together with Bosse, and contains stories from his life, but with a focus on his footballer years. Shortly after the book release he also gave his permission for a possible statue to be made in his honour and placed outside Malmö FF's new stadium.

Larsson died on 18 December 2023, at the age of 79.[2][3][4]

Career statistics

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International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[5]
National team Year Apps Goals
Sweden 1964 2 2
1965 5 3
1966 3 1
1967 0 0
1968 3 2
1969 6 0
1970 11 0
1971 9 2
1972 8 4
1973 9 2
1974 10 1
1975 0 0
1976 0 0
1977 0 0
1978 4 0
Total 70 17
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Larsson goal.
List of international goals scored by Bosse Larsson
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 20 September 1964 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway   Norway 1–0 1–1 1964–67 Nordic Football Championship [6]
2 7 October 1964 Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden   Poland 3–3 3–3 Friendly [7][8]
3 16 June 1965 Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden   Italy 1–2 2–2 Friendly [9][10]
4 7 November 1965 Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium, Famagusta, Cyprus   Cyprus 4–0 5–0 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification [11]
5 5–0
6 18 May 1966 Swierczewski, Wrocław, Poland   Poland 1–0 1–1 Friendly [12]
7 9 October 1968 Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden   Norway 2–0 5–0 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification [13]
8 5–0
9 20 May 1971 Ryavallen, Örebro, Sweden   Finland 1–1 4–1 1968–71 Nordic Football Championship [14][15]
10 8 August 1971 Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden   Norway 3–0 3–0 1968–71 Nordic Football Championship [16][15]
11 29 June 1972 Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden   Denmark 1–0 2–0 1972–77 Nordic Football Championship [17][18]
12 17 September 1972 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway   Norway 3–1 3–1 1972–77 Nordic Football Championship [19][18]
13 15 October 1972 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden   Malta 2–0 7–0 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification [20]
14 3–0
15 11 November 1973 Gzira Stadium, Gżira, Malta   Malta 2–1 2–1 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification [21]
16 27 November 1973 Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, West Germany   Austria 2–0 2–1 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification [22]
17 4 September 1974 Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden   Netherlands 1–1 1–5 Friendly [23]

Honours

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Malmö FF

Trelleborgs FF

Individual

Records

  • Most goal scorer of Malmö FF: 119 goals (307 games)

References

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  1. ^ "Zlatan är en unik spelare". Sportbladet. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Bo Larsson, Sweden and Malmo soccer great, dies at 79". The San Diego Union-Tribune. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  3. ^ VfB Stuttgart trauert um Bo Larsson (in German)
  4. ^ https://www.ratsit.se/19440505-Bo_Goran_Larsson_Malmo/XeThJNONZ7-ZIOoVsotumuYgASKNzFA1SB1RsKscmCQ (in Swedish)
  5. ^ "Bo Larsson - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Norge - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.sehttps (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Sverige - Polen - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Aftonbladet: Århundradets Sport". www.aftonbladet.se. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Sverige - Italien - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Sveriges Landslag i Fotboll 1965". www.fotbollsweden.se. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Cypern - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Polen - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Sverige - Norge - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Sverige - Finland - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Sveriges Landslag i Fotboll 1971". www.fotbollsweden.se. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Sverige - Norge - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.sehttps (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ "Sverige - Danmark - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Sveriges Landslag i Fotboll 1972". www.fotbollsweden.se. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Norge - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  20. ^ "Sverige - Malta - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.sehttps (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "Malta - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  22. ^ "Österrike - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Sverige - Nederländerna - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  24. ^ "1980 - Clas Glenning Football". sites.google.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  25. ^ "SvenskaFans". svenskafans.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Stora Grabbars Märke - Svensk fotboll". svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Larsson, Bo – svenskfotboll.se". www2.svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Malmö FF
Captain

1979
Succeeded by