The entire football world mourns as Sven-Goran Eriksson Dies At 76. The first non-English Manager of the English Football Team, and also coached in nine other countries – Sweden, Portugal, Italy, China, The United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Thailand, Philippines and the Ivory Coast.
He was a very successful football manager with a very good relationship with publicity.
Suffice it to say that, he was both a celebrity football coach with an extroverted personality.
He also frequented the A-Listed Entertainment Celebrity Circles. He lived well.
Sven Goran Eriksson died after a protracted battle with Pancreatic Cancer.
Yet, another saddening news has erupted in the World of Football after the news of Eriksson’s demise broke.
Reports from various quarters indicated that he died after a long protracted illness. Eriksson had pancreatic cancer and at the beginning of the year revealed he only had a year to live “at best”.
The Swede, during his managerial career, was the first non-English manager. He led England to Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002 which was co-hosted by the two nations in Asia, and Euro 2004 hosted by Greece.
He also managed a host of European Football Clubs like Benfica, Sampdoria, Lazio, Roma, Leicester City, and Manchester City, among others.
In 2001, Sven-Goran was appointed to the England Men’s Football Team, coaching the likes of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerard, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, and David Seaman, among others.
A statement from the family says, “After a long illness, Sven-Goran Eriksson died during the morning at home surrounded by family.
“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.
“Condolences and greetings can be left on the website www.svengoraneriksson.com (https://www.svengoraneriksson.com/).”
It was not a rather good spell he had with England’s National Teams where his team dropped out in the Quarterfinals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004.
Unhappily, Eriksson was sacked by the England FA in 2006 and went on to coach Mexico and Ivory Coast, Manchester City, Leicester City, clubs in the Chinese League, Philippines National team, among others.
Following his retirement from football management, and due to experience mustered in the game, he was appointed sporting director at Karlstad football club in the Swedish league but his tenure was cut short due to illness. So, in February 2023, he stepped down.
Sven Goran Eriksson was granted his lifetime wish to lead Liverpool in a match after he announced his cancer diagnosis. He ticked off this bucket list when he led the Red Army in a home-friendly match where Liverpool defeated Ajax 4-2, in March 2024, at Anfield.
A moment he described as “absolutely beautiful” and a “huge memory” in his entire life.
He referred to the experience as ‘a beautiful day’ commemorating his lifelong desire to manage Liverpool in their Legends game against Ajax.
Reactions trail his demise by various sections but the England Football Association through its Chief Executive Mark Bullingham, said, “This is a very sad day. He gave all England fans such memories. No one can ever forget the 5-1 victory in Munich against Germany under Sven’s guidance.
“Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and his wider contribution to the game.”
“On behalf of my colleagues at The FA, past and present, our thoughts are with his friends and family today. He will be much missed, and we will pay tribute to him when we play Finland at Wembley next month.”
Steve McClaren, who succeeded Eriksson as the England Men’s National Team, said, “So sad to hear the news that Sven has passed away today. A true gentleman of football who I had the privilege to work with for England and who became a close friend to me and my family.”
“His calm demeanour, knowledge of football, and love of red wine will long be remembered from my time with him. My condolences go out to his family on this sad day.”
Sven-Goran Eriksson Dies At 76
Championships Won By Sven-Göran Eriksson
Degerfors IF
- Division 3 Västra Svealand: 1978
IFK Göteborg
- Svenska Cupen: 1978–79, 1981–82
- UEFA Cup: 1981–82
Benfica
- Primeira Divisão: 1982–83, 1983–84, 1990–91
- Taça de Portugal: 1982–83
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1989
Roma
- Coppa Italia: 1985–86
Sampdoria
- Coppa Italia: 1993–94
Lazio
- Serie A: 1999–2000
- Coppa Italia: 1997–98, 1999–2000
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1998, 2000
- UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Super Cup: 1999
Photo Credit – Sky News
Being the first non-English Manager for the England National Team, Eriksson became very famous so you might not need to ask people about him twice before getting vivid pictures and descriptions of him.
English people became very fond of him due to his likeable and gentlemanly character.
He was very well-known by the people, generally; football or non-football fans.
In 2001, when he was named the coach, branded as one of the best coaches in the world of football by the Football Association.
The decision to appoint him as the head coach was agreed upon by all executive members of the football association after seeing him as the ideal coach to lead England’s team to the next level.
They perceived him as being media-friendly, and colourful, though, could be controversial.
His pictures usually adorned the front and back pages of newspapers every day.
Not boast about his credentials, and achievements in the game but his CV could present him to be a winner who was not ready to give up on any course. He had 18 trophies to his name across three countries.
Eriksson was England’s coach during the ‘Golden Generation’ of players but was unable to win a major international trophy which led to his eventual dismissal in 2006.
It was a disastrous and controversial end to the biggest job he ever secured in the game.
His career is marked by a mix of domestic and international successes, placing him as one of the forces to reckon with when it comes to football management and coaching.
Sven-Goran Eriksson Dies At 76