26 August 2024 , 15:45
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Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76.
Eriksson became the first non-British manager of the Three Lions in 2001 and led the side to three consecutive quarter-finals during his five years in charge.
However, in January the Swede announced that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and had ‘at best a year to live’.
Earlier this month, Eriksson delivered a heartbreaking final message in an Amazon Prime documentary released about his life, telling fans: ‘I hope you will remember me.’
His death was confirmed by his family on Monday.
‘Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away. After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family,’ a brief statement read.
‘The closest mourners are daughter Lina; son Johan with wife Amana and granddaughter Sky; father Sven; girlfriend Yanisette with son Alcides; brother Lars-Erik with wife Jumnong.
‘The family asks for respect for their wish to mourn in private and not be contacted.’
After an unspectacular playing career saw him retire at age 27, Eriksson became one of the top managers of his generation, enjoying huge success at Benfica and Lazio in particular.
He won three league titles across two spells in Lisbon, while he also secured Lazio’s second – and last – Scudetto win in Italy’s Serie A, as well as two Coppa Italias, the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup and Uefa Super Cup.
Eriksson had something of an affinity with the Coppa Italia – Italy’s equivalent of the FA Cup – also winning it with Roma and Sampdoria.
After his four years in charge of Lazio, Eriksson swapped Rome for England in 2001 when he was made manager of the Three Lions – the first non-British coach to be given the role.
Eriksson’s time in charge was also notable for off-the-pitch matters, with the front and back pages of newspapers dominated for several weeks by his affair with TV host and fellow Swede Ulrika Jonsson as well as a second affair with FA secretary Faria Alam.
Just before the 2006 World Cup, he was duped by the News of the World’s ‘Fake Sheikh’ Mazher Mahmood, having been recorded saying he would be prepared to leave England to manage Aston Villa after being told a wealthy Arab was about to buy the club.
Eriksson continued in management for just over a decade after leaving the Three Lions, taking charge of Manchester City, Mexico, Ivory Coast, Leicester, three different clubs in China and the Philippines national team.
Most recently, he worked as a sporting director of Swedish club Karlstad BK but stepped down from the role in February last year, citing ‘health issues’.
In March this year, two months after announcing his terminal diagnosis, the Swede, a lifelong Liverpool fan, fulfilled a lifelong ambition of managing the Reds at Anfield during a Liverpool Legends match.
Sharing a poignant final message in the documentary Sven, Eriksson said he hoped to be remembered as a ‘positive guy trying to do everything he could do’.
‘Don’t be sorry, smile,’ he added. ‘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.’