Sven-Goran Eriksson, England Football’s first non-British manager, has passed away at 76 years old after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January.
“Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away. After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family,” the family said in a statement on Monday.
In January, Eriksson said he had a year “at best” to live following his diagnosis. He spent time visiting some of his former clubs after receiving the news.
Sven-Goran Eriksson delivered his final goodbye in a new documentary on Amazon Prime. He said:
“I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is. Hopefully, at the end, people will say, yeah, he was a good man, but everyone will not say that.”
Eriksson also added:
“I hope you will remember me as a positive guy trying to do everything he could do. Don’t be sorry; smile. Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds, it’s been fantastic. Take care of yourself and take care of your life. And live it. Bye.”
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s illustrious career
The Swedish manager had an iconic career, winning 18 trophies and managing 12 clubs over more than four decades. He also managed England, Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines on the international stage.
Sven-Goran Eriksson became a manager after retiring from playing the beautiful game of football at age 27. He started his managerial career with the Swedish club Degerfors IF in 1977, leading them to promotion to Swedish Football Division 2. Eriksson then moved to the Swedish Club IFK Göteborg, where he won the Swedish title, two Swedish Cups, and the UEFA Cup in 1982.
Following his time in Sweden, he managed Benefica and several Italian clubs. Eriksson saw the most success with Lazio, winning the Serie A title, two Italian Cups, and the European Winners’ Cup.
Eriksson left his position at Lazio in 2001 to become England’s manager. He started off hot by qualifying for the World Cup in 2002, which was highlighted by an incredible 5-1 victory over Germany. However, his English side would lose to Brazil in the quarter-finals.
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England squad would qualify for the Euros in 2004 but would lose to Portugal in penalties.
After qualifying for the World Cup again, it was announced that Eriksson would leave England following the tournament. It was later revealed that he was under pressure from the media, as his time as England’s manager was marked with scandal, including an affair with Ulrika Jonsson.
The players generally loved Sven-Goran Eriksson. In the documentary, David Beckham said, “I loved him from day one. The way he protected the players was a breath of fresh air. What he did for me was incredible.” Sven’s final game with England was a penalties defeat to Portugal in the 2006 World Cup.
Sven-Goran Eriksson managed Manchester City and Liverpool after his time as England’s boss.
