Larsson to make international return

Sweden striker Henrik Larsson is to make his international return in the Euro 2004 qualifier against Hungary on April 2nd.

Sweden striker Henrik Larsson is to make his international return in the Euro 2004 qualifier against Hungary on April 2nd.

Larsson, who announced his international retirement after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, is likely to be in the starting line-up.

Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said Larsson had not decided if his international return would extend beyond the Hungary match but that the decision was most welcom nonetheless.

"The best part of this squad ... is that he (Larsson) has decided to return," Lagerback said on Tuesday.

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"We've agreed he will play this game and after that we will see," he said. "We haven't decided anything yet."

Larsson had quit the international arena last summer after the World Cup second round defeat by Senegal. The Hoops forward scored in that game but the African side pulled off a surprise 2-1 win.

Larsson returned to first-team goalscoring action with Celtic in the UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg tie against Liverpool last week.

The striker took less than two minutes to add his name to the scoresheet a month after fracturing his jaw against Livingston.

The former Feyenoord man also scored in the CIS Insurance Cup final defeat by Rangers on Sunday to take his season tally to 36 but passed penalty-taking responsibility to John Hartson, who missed a late spot-kick.

Larsson has consistently maintained he will leave Parkhead at the end of next season.

But his about-turn on his decision to retire from the national side may offer Hoops supporters hope he may also reconsider his decision to leave Glasgow next year.

Sweden have taken only two points from their first two Euro 2004 qualifying matches.

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Djurgarden), Magnus Kihlstedt (FC Copenhagen)

Defenders: Erik Edman (Heerenveen), Andreas Jakobsson (Hansa Rostock), Nils-Eric Johansson (Blackburn Rovers), Teddy Lucic (Leeds United), Olof Mellberg (Aston Villa), Johan Mjallby (Celtic), Michael Svensson (Southampton)

Midfielders: Anders Andersson (Benfica), Mattias Jonson (Brondby), Kim Kallstrom (Djurgarden), Marcus Lantz (Hansa Rostock), Fredrik Ljungberg (Arsenal), Mikael Nilsson (Halmstad), Anders Svensson (Southampton)

Strikers: Marcus Allback (Aston Villa), Andreas Andersson (AIK Stockholm), Johan Elmander (Djurgarden), Henrik Larsson (Celtic), Rade Prica (Hansa Rostock)