Henrik Larsson and Martin O’Neill are two of the greatest modern-day Celtic legends.
They both contributed to Celtic’s success during one of the team’s most prosperous home and European runs since the Lisbon Lions.
By winning the first treble since the Jock Stein era in 2001, O’Neill and Larsson contributed to the end of Rangers’ dominance in Scottish football and the beginning of what we are seeing now.
However, there was one trophy that both of these legendary figures were unable to obtain, and it continues to torment them to this day. The UEFA Cup of 2003.
Celtic, who had advanced to their first significant European Final since 1970, headed to Seville that year full of optimism that they would win the UEFA Cup.
The Celtic team, which included Chris Sutton, Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon, and of course Larsson, had defeated the likes of Blackburn, Stuttgart, and Liverpool to advance to the championship game.
Sadly, they were unable to overcome Porto under Jose Mourinho, and even though Larsson scored twice, Celtic lost the match 3-2 in extra time.
One of my favorite Celtic fan experiences came to an agonizing conclusion, and O’Neill recently revealed what Larsson would have been prepared to give up if Celtic had won the UEFA Cup in 2003.
“I was speaking to Henrik Larsson not too long ago, and Henrik’s team, Barcelona, had won the Champions League,” O’Neill stated [PLZ Soccer].
He claimed he would have given that up to have won the UEFA Cup with us at Celtic, and he made a significant effect on the game. I was present at the game to support him.
“That is enormous.”
That just goes to show how much Larsson still cares about Celtic. It says volumes about the player that he would forfeit the largest club football title in order to succeed in Europe with the green and white hoops.
That’s the reason he’s still so beloved by Celtics supporters.
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