Henrik Larsson - International Career

International Career

Larsson scored 37 goals in 104 games for Sweden. He scored his first international goal in his debut, during the World Cup Qualifications stage against Finland in 1993. His first World Cup goal came at USA 1994 against Bulgaria in the third place match to help Sweden win the bronze.

Sweden did not qualify to the 1998 World Cup, but reappeared on the global stage four years later at the 2002 World Cup. Larsson helped guide Sweden out of the group of death and into the knockout round with a 2–1 win over Nigeria in which he scored both goals. He then scored in the round of sixteen match against Senegal, though Sweden ended up losing 1–2 in extra time to a golden goal and were eliminated.

Larsson originally chose to retire from International football after that World Cup. His decision was met with dismay in Sweden and there was much clamoring for him to return to the team for their campaign at Euro 2004 in Portugal. Despite initially maintaining his decision to retire, he eventually returned to the national side, scoring three goals in four matches and leading Sweden to the quarter-finals, where they were defeated in a penalty shootout by the Dutch. Larsson's diving header against Bulgaria was voted best goal of the 2004 European Championships.

Larsson also featured at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He scored in the final minute of the match against England for Sweden to draw the match 2–2 in their final game in the group stages, becoming only the sixth player ever to score in three World Cup finals. The goal sealed Sweden's qualification for the second round of the tournament. In Sweden's last 16 game against hosts Germany, Larsson missed a penalty and Sweden went out with the score at 2–0 to Germany.

He retired from international football for the second time on 17 July 2006. "It is time to quit now. It feels right. I'm done with the national team", the 34-year-old Larsson told TV station Canal Plus. However, Sweden boss Lars Lagerbäck managed to lure Larsson out of international retirement once more and on 13 May 2008, the Swedish FA officially declared that Larsson had agreed to make a comeback and play for Sweden once again at Euro 2008.

Following former team captain Fredrik Ljungberg's decision to quit the national side after the tournament, Larsson was chosen to become the new captain in a friendly against France on 20 August 2008, He scored his 37th goal for Sweden in that game, although France ended up winning 3–2. He played his 100th game for Sweden on 6 September 2008, in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Albania, which ended in a 0–0 draw.

On 11 October 2009, Larsson once again decided to retire from the national team.