Career
After a short stint with the Toronto Blizzard, he ended his playing career at Örgryte Instruction Section. He was capped 5 times for Sweden. He began his coaching career at Örgryte Instruction Section, first as an assistant-coach, then as first-team coach. He also managed Landskrona BoIS (which he got promoted to Allsvenskan in 1993), HamKam, FK Haugesund, Kalmar FF, Assyriska Föreningen, Trelleborgs FF, Sarpsborg 08 FF and Helsingborgs IF. After winning Allsvenskan with Helsingborgs IF in 2011, Karlsson decided to withdraw as head coach on 14 June 2012 and was replaced by Åge Hareide.