Former England coach and Swedish football manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76 after encountering health challenges from pancreatic cancer.
According to his agent, Ericson who coached England from 2001 to 2006, died Monday.
“He passed away peacefully this morning with his family around him at his home,” Eriksson’s agent Bo Gustavsson told AFP.
The Swede, who managed several high-profile teams and took England to World Cup quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006, announced in February 2023 that he was stepping back from public life due to “health issues”.
In January, he told public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and that his doctor assessed 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.
Born on February 5, 1948, in Sunne in western Sweden, Eriksson, who goes by “Svennis” to Swedes, found success as a football manager after retiring from a modest career as a defender.
In 1977, he became the 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.
“Thank you for everything you have done for us, coach,” his former club Lazio said in a post to social media.
His most high-profile position was as the first foreigner to manage England’s national squad.
During his spell, he took England to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, where they were knocked out by Brazil.
They also made the last eight four years later where Portugal came out on top in a penalty shoot-out in a game where Wayne Rooney was sent off after a clash with his then Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Eriksson led England to the last eight of the 2004 Euros where Portugal also knocked them out in another penalty shoot-out.
He left the England job in 2006 after five years in charge.
His time in the hot seat had seen a memorable 5-1 win over Germany in a World Cup qualifier but also controversy over his personal life, including an affair with television presenter Ulrika Jonsson.
“This is a very sad day. He gave all England fans such special memories,” Mark Bullingham, CEO of England’s Football Association, said in a statement.
“Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and for his wider contribution to the game,” Bullingham continued.
England’s Prince William, who said he met Eriksson several times while president of the English Football Association, said he “was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game”.
