Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who coached England’s team from 2001 to 2006, has died at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Eriksson became the first foreigner to lead the England national team – and also led Swedish, Portuguese and Italian clubs to major trophies in the 1980s and 1990s before taking on the England job in 2001.
The charismatic manager announced in January that he was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer.
Eriksson’s longtime agent Bo Gustavsson said Eriksson had lost his battle with cancer early on Monday, surrounded by his family.
“We knew it was going to end bad, it all went really fast in the last few weeks,” said Gustavsson.
“I have been fascinated by him for a long time. He has always been so positive and has had time for others and never thought of himself, and he was that until the very end,” the agent added.
Eriksson led England to the quarterfinals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and to the 2004 European Championship, managing a golden generation of players, including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.
We are deeply saddened that Sven-Göran Eriksson, who managed the #ThreeLions from 2001 to 2006, has passed away aged 76.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
Rest in peace, Sven. You will be greatly missed ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aLtqWAG8K4
— England (@England) August 26, 2024
‘Charisma and passion for the game’
In his native Sweden, where he is known simply as “Svennis”, Eriksson was praised as a great sports leader.
In January, he told public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that his doctor’s assessment was that he had “at best maybe a year [to live], at worst a little less”.
“We have known about this. but it happened very quickly. We were not prepared for it to happen today,” Gustavsson told AFP news agency.
Born February 5, 1948 in Sunne in western Sweden, Eriksson found success as a football manager after retiring from a modest career as a defender.
In 1977, he became manager of the Swedish club Degerfors IF. After leading the small club to success in lower divisions, he attracted the attention of bigger clubs.
He went on to manage Sweden’s IFK Goteborg before finding success internationally, managing Benfica in Portugal, as well as several Italian teams including Roma and Lazio.
His most high-profile position was as the first foreigner to manage England’s national squad, which he left in 2006 after five years in charge.
Eriksson then went on to manage the teams of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines, but never his native Sweden’s national squad.
England’s Prince William, who is the president of the English Football Association, led the tributes to Eriksson, calling him a “true gentleman”.
“Sad to hear about the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson. I met him several times as England manager and was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game,” he wrote on X.
“My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game.”
Sad to hear about the passing of Sven-Göran Eriksson. I met him several times as England manager and was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game. My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game. W
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) August 26, 2024
Although Eriksson was unable to end England’s wait for a first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup, his teams produced several memorable performances, including a 5-1 rout of Germany in a World Cup qualifier in 2001.
“This is a very sad day. He gave all England fans such special memories. No one can ever forget the 5-1 victory in Munich against Germany under Sven’s guidance,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
Bullingham added: “Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and for his wider contribution to the game.”
After stepping down from the England job in 2006, Eriksson managed Manchester City in the 2007-08 season and the Premier League club joined the tributes to their former boss.
“We would like to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has passed away at the age of 76. Rest in peace, Sven,” a City statement said.
We would like to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has passed away at the age of 76.
Rest in peace, Sven. 🩵
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 26, 2024
Liverpool provided Eriksson with an emotional final football memory in March when they allowed him to fulfil a lifelong dream by managing them in a charity match at Anfield.
“Rest in peace, Sven-Goran Eriksson. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Sven’s family and friends at this extremely sad time,” Liverpool said in a statement.
Eriksson was a title winner as the boss of Lazio and Benfica, also lifting the UEFA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup and reaching the European Cup final during a memorable career.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said: “On behalf of the European football community, everybody at UEFA is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson.”
On behalf of the European football community, everybody at UEFA is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sven Göran Eriksson.
A beloved figure in the game, Sven was a UEFA Cup winner as coach of IFK Göteborg in 1982 before leading Lazio to the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1999.… pic.twitter.com/ZlNSFftl97
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 26, 2024
