Sara Margareta Mattsson (née Larsson; born 13 May 1979) is a Swedish former football defender who played for KIF Örebro DFF of the Damallsvenskan league. She won 112 caps as a member of the Sweden women's national football team.
![]() Sara Larsson in 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Sara Margareta Mattsson | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth name | Sara Margareta Larsson[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 13 May 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Kristinehamn, Sweden | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
–1996 | Villastadens IF | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1996–1998 | Rävåsens IK | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1998–2004 | Malmö FF Dam | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2004–2008 | Linköpings FC | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | Saint Louis Athletica | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | → Linköpings FC (loan) | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | Philadelphia Independence | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2011–2013 | KIF Örebro DFF | 47 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | LB07 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Sweden U-19 | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Sweden U-21 | 12 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
2000–2012 | Sweden[2] | 112 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:21, 9 June 2013 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:21, 9 June 2013 (UTC) |
Club career
She formerly played for Malmö FF Dam. In November 2008, her Woman's Professional Soccer playing rights were obtained by St. Louis who named her as a post-draft discovery player. She played fifteen games for the team in its inaugural season, then returned to Linköpings for the WPS off-season, during which she was drafted by the Philadelphia Independence in WPS's first expansion draft.
After the 2010 season Larsson returned to Sweden, with KIF Örebro DFF. She signed for Elitettan club LB07 ahead of the 2014 season, but retired in April 2014 due to pregnancy.[3]
International career
Larsson earned over 100 caps for the Sweden women's national football team. She won the rookie of the year (Sweden) in 2000, after making her national team debut in September 2000 in a 2–1 win over rivals Norway.
Sara Larsson featured for Sweden in two World Cups: USA 2003 and Germany 2011. She was also on the roster for the 2007 World Cup, but did not appear in any of Sweden's matches. Larsson played in three Olympic Games: Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, and Beijing 2008.
Sara Larsson appeared at three European Championship tournaments: Germany 2001, England 2005, and Finland 2009.
Personal life
Larsson married Jens Mattsson on 15 August 2015, with whom she already had a son. She subsequently took his surname.[4]
Career statistics
International
- Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Larsson goal.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 20, 2004 | Volos, Greece | Australien | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2004 Summer Olympics | [m 1] |
References
- ^ "Sara Larsson". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ "Damlandslagsspelare 1973–2012". Svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ Jönsson, Kent (10 April 2014). "Graviditet stoppar LB07:s Sara Larsson" (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "Sara Larsson har gift sig" [Sara Larsson has married]. Nya Wermlands-Tidningen (in Swedish). 18 August 2015. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- Match reports
- ^ "2004 Olympic Games: MATCH Report: Sweden - Australia: Quarter-Finals". FIFA. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013.
External links
- Sara Larsson – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Sweden player profile
- Linköpings FC player profile (in Swedish)
- Atlanta Beat player profile