Henrik Larsson regrets not staying at Manchester United
Retired Swedish striker Henrik Larsson has said the biggest regret of his footballing career remains the decision not to extend his contract at Manchester United in 2007.
Having returned to Swedish side Helsingborg from Champions League-winners Barcelona in 2006, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson signed Larsson on a three-month loan during the Swedish off-season at the beginning
of 2007.
The striker scored three goals in 13 appearances for the team, earning praise from teammates and manager alike, but opted to honour his commitments to Helsingborg when the Swedish season was due to start.
"If there is one regret I have from my career, it is that I came home to Sweden when Mr Ferguson was trying to get me to stay at Manchester United," Larsson, who now manages Landskrona BOIS in the Swedish
second division, told FIFA.com. "I should have stayed at United for longer because I had a great time there and everyone at the club was very keen to keep me. My time there was too short."
Larsson: Xavi and Iniesta deserve credit
Having spent two years with Barcelona between 2004 and 2006, the veteran marksman also praised his former teammates at the Catalan club.
Larsson, who assisted Barcelona's two goals as the team came back from a 1–0 deficit in the 2006 Champions League final to snatch the trophy from Arsenal, said that Lionel Messi is not the sole reason
for Barcelona's dominance in recent years.
"Lionel Messi is fantastic and, right now, I would say he’s the best there is in his position. But for me, Xavi [Hernandez] and Andres Iniesta are just as impressive in their own way. In their position,
they’re the best. I really admire those two, and Messi of course, because you hear so much these days about players needing to be tall and physical to reach the very top."
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