Sven-Göran Eriksson is considered the greatest football coach that Sweden has ever produced. He was the first foreigner ever to coach the England national team.
Swedish football coaching legend Sven-Göran Eriksson has died. The former coach of the English national team died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 76, as his Swedish agent Bo Gustavsson confirmed to the German Press Agency.
“After a long illness, SGE passed away this morning at home surrounded by family,” Eriksson’s website announced. The family asks for respect for being able to mourn in private.
Eriksson himself revealed in January 2024 that he was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer. In the best case scenario, he might have a year left to live, he said in an interview with Swedish radio station SR P1 published at the time. A year earlier, the Swede, whom his compatriots always called “Svennis”, had already announced that he would have to take a career break for health reasons.
Eriksson surprisingly won the UEFA Cup with IFK Göteborg in 1982, defeating 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the semi-final and Hamburger SV in the final. During his decades-long coaching career, the former defender subsequently coached numerous clubs such as Benfica Lisbon, AS and Lazio Rome as well as Manchester City and several national teams.
Sven-Göran Eriksson: “A true gentleman of the game”
His probably biggest position on the international football stage was from 2001 to 2006: He was the first foreigner ever to be allowed to coach the England national football team, which the Swede led to the quarter-finals at the 2002 World Cup, the 2004 European Championship and the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Britain’s heir to the throne, Prince William, as patron of the English Football Association (FA), paid tribute to Eriksson in a message on the X platform. He said it was sad to hear of his death. He had met Eriksson several times during his time as England coach and was impressed by his charisma and passion for football. “My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game.”
In Sweden, “Svennis” is considered the greatest football coach the country has ever had. After his cancer diagnosis was announced, the Scandinavian country’s sporting elite paid tribute to him, as did many of his companions during his time in England.
Until the end, Eriksson tried to remain positive in public and face the illness with cheerfulness. At the end of his life on the coaching bench, he was able to fulfil a dream of his heart in March and coach Liverpool FC in a legends match at Anfield Road. He was invited to do so by the Reds’ coach at the time, Jürgen Klopp.
Source: Stern
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