Sebastian Larsson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sebastian Larsson

Larsson playing for Sweden in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Bengt Ulf Sebastian Larsson
Date of birth	(1985-06-06) 6 June 1985 (age 40)
Place of birth	Eskilstuna, Sweden
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Sweden (assistant manager)
Youth career
0000–2001	IFK Eskilstuna
2001–2004	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2007	Arsenal	3	(0)
2006–2007	→ Birmingham City (loan)	27	(1)
2007–2011	Birmingham City	157	(18)
2011–2017	Sunderland	176	(12)
2017–2018	Hull City	40	(2)
2018–2022	AIK	123	(21)
Total		526	(54)
International career
2000–2002	Sweden U17	23	(6)
2003	Sweden U19	9	(4)
2004–2006	Sweden U21	12	(0)
2008–2021	Sweden	133	(10)
Managerial career
2024–	Sweden (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sebastian Larsson, born on June 6, 1985, is a Swedish former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder and was known for his amazing free kicks. Sebastian started his career at his hometown club, IFK Eskilstuna, before joining the famous English club Arsenal.

After playing a few games for Arsenal, he moved to Birmingham City. He first joined them on loan in 2006, then signed a permanent deal in 2007. Larsson spent five years at Birmingham, helping them get promoted to the Premier League twice. In 2011, he moved to Sunderland and played there until 2017. He then spent one season at Hull City.

In 2018, Sebastian returned to Sweden to play for AIK. He helped them win the Swedish league title in 2018. He retired from playing football in 2022.

Sebastian also played a lot for the Swedish national team from 2008 to 2021. He played in four European Championships (Euro 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020) and the FIFA World Cup in 2018. He helped Sweden reach the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup. He played 133 games for his country and scored ten goals.

Playing for Clubs

Starting His Journey

Sebastian Larsson was born in Eskilstuna, Sweden. He began playing football for his local team, IFK Eskilstuna. When he was 16, in the summer of 2001, he joined the well-known English club Arsenal. He signed a four-year contract to become a professional player.

Time at Arsenal

Sebastian made his first team debut for Arsenal in a League Cup game on October 27, 2004. He played as a left back in that match. He played in a few more League Cup games that season.

He played his first Premier League game on February 1, 2006. He came on as a substitute against West Ham United. He then started two more league games in defense.

Loan to Birmingham City

In August 2006, Larsson joined Birmingham City, a team in the Championship league. This was a loan move from Arsenal for the whole season. He quickly made a big impact, scoring important goals in his first few games. He also scored two goals in an FA Cup match against Newcastle United.

Playing for Birmingham City

In January 2007, Sebastian Larsson officially signed with Birmingham City. He agreed to a four-year deal. He scored a fantastic goal against Sheffield Wednesday in April 2007, which was named Birmingham's "Goal of the Season." He ran with the ball for a long way before scoring.

During the 2006–07 season, Larsson mostly played on the right side of the midfield. Sometimes, he would play as a right-back or left-back if other players were injured. His strong performances on the right wing showed that this was his best position.

Larsson taking a corner for Birmingham City in 2007

In December 2007, Sebastian scored a spectacular goal in the last moments of the game against Tottenham Hotspur. This gave Birmingham their first away win in the Premier League in over three months. He scored many of his goals from direct free kicks, showing his special skill. Even though he was great at free kicks, Birmingham was still relegated from the Premier League that season.

Larsson playing for Birmingham City in 2010

At the start of the 2010–11 season, Larsson helped Birmingham score two goals in a 2–2 draw against Sunderland. He also set up another goal in their first home game, a 2–1 win against Blackburn Rovers. In November, he scored his first goal of the season against Fulham.

Larsson played a key role in Birmingham's journey to the 2011 League Cup Final. He scored a penalty in the quarter-final against their rivals Aston Villa. In the semi-final, he provided an assist from a corner kick. Despite some talk about him leaving the club, he played in the final at Wembley. Birmingham won the final 2–1 against Arsenal, which was a big surprise. This was Birmingham's first major trophy since 1963.

Sebastian scored two more goals for Birmingham in April 2011. He scored against Sunderland and then a penalty in his 200th game for the club against Chelsea. His contract ended at the end of the season, and he left Birmingham City after they were relegated.

Playing for Sunderland

On July 1, 2011, Sebastian Larsson joined Sunderland on a free transfer, meaning they didn't have to pay a fee. He reunited with his former manager, Steve Bruce. He scored a great goal in his first game for Sunderland, a 1–1 draw against Liverpool. His second goal for Sunderland was a fantastic free kick against Stoke City.

Larsson taking a free-kick for Sunderland in 2011

He scored another free kick against Arsenal a month later. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, even said that Larsson was "maybe the best in the league as a free-kick-taker." He continued to score important goals, including another free kick in injury time to win a game against Blackburn Rovers. He also scored twice in a 3–3 draw against Manchester City.

In the 2012–13 season, Larsson scored a powerful goal against West Ham United. This was his only goal that season, which was a tough year for Sunderland as they barely avoided relegation.

His first goal of the 2013–14 season came in the League Cup against Southampton. He scored his first league goal of the season against Manchester United in May 2014. This win was Sunderland's first at Manchester United's stadium since 1968. After helping Sunderland stay in the Premier League, he signed a new contract until 2017.

In the 2014–15 season, Larsson scored a late goal to draw with West Bromwich Albion. He scored two more goals from free kicks that season. Fans voted him Sunderland's "Supporters' Player of the Year" for that season.

Playing for Hull City

After his contract with Sunderland ended in 2017, Sebastian Larsson signed a one-year deal with Hull City, a Championship club. He made his first appearance for Hull in August 2017. He scored his first goal for Hull City on September 30, 2017, in a big 6–1 win against his old club, Birmingham City.

Playing for AIK

On June 11, 2018, Larsson signed with AIK, a club in the Swedish league, Allsvenskan. His first season with AIK was very successful. He helped the team win the Swedish Championship in 2018, which was the club's twelfth title. Sebastian Larsson retired from professional football after the 2022 season.

Playing for Sweden

Larsson playing for Sweden against Spain in 2019

Sebastian Larsson was first called up to the Swedish national team in October 2007. He made his debut for Sweden in February 2008 in a friendly game against Turkey. He then became a regular player for the national team.

He scored his first goal for Sweden in March 2011 in a Euro 2012 qualifying game against Moldova. He scored two more goals in the qualifiers in October 2011, one against Finland and another from a penalty against the Netherlands. In February 2012, he scored two goals against Croatia.

Larsson was part of Sweden's squad for Euro 2012. He played in all three of their group games and scored a goal against France. However, Sweden did not make it past the group stage.

On October 15, 2013, Larsson provided two assists in a World Cup Qualification game against Germany. He was the team captain during that match.

Sebastian was chosen for Sweden's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. In a warm-up game before the tournament, he played his 100th game for his country. At the 2018 World Cup, Larsson played in four games as Sweden reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by England. He scored his ninth international goal from a penalty in a World Cup qualifying win against Kosovo in March 2021.

Larsson played in all four of Sweden's matches at Euro 2020, serving as captain. After the tournament, he announced that he was retiring from international football.

Personal Life

Sebastian Larsson lives in Eskilstuna, Sweden, with his wife, Tina. They have two daughters.

Career Numbers

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Awards and Achievements

Birmingham City

• Won the Football League Cup: 2010–11

Sunderland

• Runner-up in the Football League Cup: 2013–14

AIK

• Won the Allsvenskan (Swedish League): 2018

Individual Awards

• Birmingham City Player of the Year: 2007–08
• Birmingham City Players' Player of the Year: 2007–08
• Birmingham City Goal of the Season: 2007–08
• Sunderland Supporters' Player of the Year: 2014–15

See also

In Spanish: Sebastian Larsson para niños