Henrik Larsson ended his career as a football player in 2009 at the age of 38. During his 17 years as a professional player, he had become a legend in Scotland and Sweden and a hero in Barcelona and Manchester. In July 2010, Henrik spent 90 minutes talking during the Swedish radio show “SommarPratarna” (Summer speakers) about his career and life. After the jump you can find a video with the best parts translated.

Henrik played for Barça from 2004-2006, he scored 13 goals for the club and was the player behind both of the goals Barça scored in the 2006 Champions League final.

Note: ‘Summer speakers’ is a Swedish radio show which is broadcast every summer on Swedish radio, where different celebrities talk for 90 minutes about whatever they want. The series is a well regarded program among Swedes.

During the program, some of Henrik’s most compelling and personal statements concerned his younger brother, whom he spoke a lot about in the 90 minutes. Henrik’s brother, Robert, who was addicted to alcohol and drugs, was found dead in his apartment in 2009. Henrik, as the older brother, and their parents tried their best to help him, but it was impossible. When it comes to his younger brother’s addiction, Henrik felt powerless. He tried to help in different ways but came to the conclusion that there were simply nothing he could do.

“I’ve always had the power over my life and my career, been good at knowing whom I can trust and who only acts for their own best interest. But when it comes to my little brother’s addiction, I was powerless. He was powerless during his addiction. We were all victims of his drugs. It was horrible not to be able to help. When in the end the only right thing was to hold him away from me and be firm, I really just wanted to take him home and let him have everything. In the beginning I helped him to pay off his debt, every time was the last time. He promised, now it will get better. But it didn’t help, the debts grew and I understood I only made his situation worse. I had my own family and I came to a point where I didn’t want to be involved anymore. He was always welcomed home to us when he was sober. He knew that rule couldn’t change. So we rarely saw each other. He was a fantastic guy and dad. But the last years he lived alone when even his own family distanced themselves from him. I lived abroad so I never ran into him on the town. But the worry was always there, that bloody worry that ate me from the inside. What is happening, where is he?”

Henrik also said that he would have given his brother everything he wanted, all his money, if it would have guaranteed that he would have a life without drugs. But it was an impossibility. Henrik was sure they would solve the problem when he came home, but the reality became a nightmare, as he describes.

“My big brother, mom and dad saw him on the town sometimes, it must have been horrible for parents to see their child go under. They always tried to help him. They gave him food and somewhere to sleep. It didn’t matter how he was feeling. Mom and dad aged fast because of all the worrying and grief. We couldn’t do anything, he knew we were there if he wanted to get better. Even if he was worn and tired I didn’t give him anything. He would have got all my money if it would guarantee a life without drugs. But drug addicts can promise nothing. They have only one thing that draws, there is no trust. He got clothes and furniture, but when he sold them I stopped with that too. He tried to play on my bad conscience, make me feel guilty, but I resisted. He begged and begged to just give him some more. I who had so much, he who had hell. I thought we would solve the problem when I came home. I thought about him every day during all those years around the world. Everything came closer when I got home, the reality became a nightmare, I couldn’t help him. My imaginary super powers did not bite on his demons.”

There was simply nothing Henrik could do to help his brother, still he felt the guilt.

“Even if I couldn’t do anything differently, I still feel guilt. No one else in our family could have done anything so he would be free from his drugs. It was his demons that he fought against, I would have liked to be with him and fight at his side, who were they and what did they do to you that hurt you so much?”

His brother changed his name and cut off his dreadlocks, but still Henrik knew he was proud of his older brother’s success. Despite this, his little brother’s addiction and death will always be, for Henrik, his biggest failure.

“I know he was proud of my success. He came to see my last game for Celtic against Sevilla. He was supposed to come to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003 where I scored two goals and we still lost. I had arranged for tickets, hotel and a rental car, but he never showed up. But it wasn’t easy to be Henrik Larsson’s brother in those areas in Helsingborg. He cut off his dreadlocks and changed his name for some reason. But we still looked alike. Everyone knew that we belonged together. It’s the powerlessness that breaks. I have come to the conclusion that it was a bottomless, boundless, black failure for me.”

To listen to the whole program in Swedish, click here.