August 26, (THEWILL) – Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former England national team manager, has died at the age of 76.
His passing was confirmed on Monday, by his agent, Bo Gustavsson, who stated that Eriksson died at home surrounded by his family. The Swedish coach had revealed in January 2024 that he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and had been given a year to live at best.
Eriksson made history as the first foreign manager of the England national team, taking charge in 2001. During his five-year tenure, he led the so-called ‘golden generation’ to the quarter-finals of three major tournaments. Under his guidance, England reached fifth place in the FIFA rankings. After stepping down from the England role following the 2006 World Cup, Eriksson went on to manage the national teams of Mexico and the Ivory Coast.
Throughout his career, Eriksson managed 12 clubs, including Manchester City, Leicester City, Roma, and Lazio. His time in management saw him win 18 trophies, with notable success at Lazio where he clinched seven titles, including the Serie A championship. Eriksson’s managerial journey began in Sweden with Degerfors IF in 1977, and he achieved early success with Goteborg, winning the Swedish league, two Swedish cups, and the 1981 UEFA Cup.
In March 2024, Eriksson fulfilled a lifelong dream when he led out a Liverpool Legends team at Anfield for a charity match against Ajax. A self-professed Liverpool fan, Eriksson described the experience as “a memory for life”. Despite his illness, Eriksson remained positive and open about his situation, expressing hope that he would be remembered as a “positive guy”.
Eriksson is survived by his daughter Lina, son Johan and his family – father Sven, girlfriend Yanisette and her son, and brother Lars-Erik and his wife. In his final public statements, Eriksson encouraged people to embrace life, saying: “Do not be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds, it has been fantastic. Take care of yourself and take care of your life and live it.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
