# Bo Larsson

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.

## Club career

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, 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

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

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.

## Career statistics
### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Sweden | 1964 | 2 | 2 |
| Sweden | 1965 | 5 | 3 |
| Sweden | 1966 | 3 | 1 |
| Sweden | 1967 | 0 | 0 |
| Sweden | 1968 | 3 | 2 |
| Sweden | 1969 | 6 | 0 |
| Sweden | 1970 | 11 | 0 |
| Sweden | 1971 | 9 | 2 |
| Sweden | 1972 | 8 | 4 |
| Sweden | 1973 | 9 | 2 |
| Sweden | 1974 | 10 | 1 |
| Sweden | 1975 | 0 | 0 |
| Sweden | 1976 | 0 | 0 |
| Sweden | 1977 | 0 | 0 |
| Sweden | 1978 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 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 |
| 1 | 20 September 1964 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Norway | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1964–67 Nordic Football Championship |
| 2 | 7 October 1964 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden | Poland | 3–3 | 3–3 | Friendly |
| 3 | 16 June 1965 | Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden | Italy | 1–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 7 November 1965 | Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium, Famagusta, Cyprus | Cyprus | 4–0 | 5–0 | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 7 November 1965 | Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium, Famagusta, Cyprus | Cyprus | 5–0 | 5–0 | 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 18 May 1966 | Swierczewski, Wrocław, Poland | Poland | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 9 October 1968 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden | Norway | 2–0 | 5–0 | 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 9 October 1968 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden | Norway | 5–0 | 5–0 | 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 20 May 1971 | Ryavallen, Örebro, Sweden | Finland | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1968–71 Nordic Football Championship |
| 10 | 8 August 1971 | Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden | Norway | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1968–71 Nordic Football Championship |
| 11 | 29 June 1972 | Malmö Stadion, Malmö, Sweden | Denmark | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1972–77 Nordic Football Championship |
| 12 | 17 September 1972 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | Norway | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1972–77 Nordic Football Championship |
| 13 | 15 October 1972 | Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden | Malta | 2–0 | 7–0 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 15 October 1972 | Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden | Malta | 3–0 | 7–0 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 11 November 1973 | Gzira Stadium, Gżira, Malta | Malta | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 16 | 27 November 1973 | Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, West Germany | Austria | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 4 September 1974 | Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden | Netherlands | 1–1 | 1–5 | Friendly |

## Honours

Malmö FF
* Allsvenskan: 1965, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977
* Svenska Cupen: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978
Trelleborgs FF
* Division 3 Skåne: 1980
Individual
* Allsvenskan top scorer: 1963 (17 goals), 1965 (28 goals), 1970 (16 goals)
* Guldbollen (Swedish Footballer of the Year): 1965, 1973 (the first to be awarded twice)
* Stor Grabb: 1968
* Best footballer of the Bundesliga: 1968–69
* Athlete of the Year by the city of Stuttgart: 1969
* 2005 Swedish Football Association Hall of Fame inductee
* Honorary member of Malmö FF
Records
* Most goal scorer of Malmö FF: 119 goals (307 games)