World Cup '74 Portrait #172 (Sven-Gunnar Larsson: Sweden)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest subject to be randomly drawn is Sven-Gunnar Larsson, who was a member of the Sweden squad as represented in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album, & then the official one for the Finals themselves, where, as reserve goalkeeper to Ronnie Hellström, he alas didn’t get to make an appearance in any of the Swedes’ six matches, although the records show he played twice at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, displacing Hellström after Sweden’s first group match. Needless to say, he remained one of the many unknown names of the ’74 World Cup until the acquisition of the sticker album & the beginnings of this drawing project.

World Cup '74 Portrait #68 (Ronnie Hellström: Sweden)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

It’s quite a sobering consideration that what will follow apparently constitutes the blog’s 800^th post, over the course of its current eight & a half years' life, but at least such a milestone is represented by a drawing of one of the very few players’ names that actually registered at the time of my exposure to the televised coverage of the 1974 World Cup, the legendary Ronnie Hellström, Sweden’s goalkeeper throughout all six of their matches at the tournament & who also was selected for inclusion in both the FKS & Panini collectors’ sticker albums prior to the event.

Previously, Hellström, an archetypal stylistic ‘Mr 70s’ with his moustache & expansive sideburns, had appeared in a match at Mexico 1970 & would go on to play at Argentina 1978: a true World Cup icon, appropriately celebrated.