Swedish soccer supervisor Sven-Goran Eriksson, who coached England’s staff from 2001 to 2006, has died on the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic most cancers.
Eriksson grew to become the primary foreigner to steer the England nationwide staff – and likewise led Swedish, Portuguese and Italian golf equipment to main trophies within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties earlier than taking over the England job in 2001.
The charismatic supervisor introduced in January that he was terminally in poor health with pancreatic most cancers.
Eriksson’s longtime agent Bo Gustavsson mentioned Eriksson had misplaced his battle with most cancers early on Monday, surrounded by his household.
“We knew it was going to finish unhealthy, all of it went actually quick in the previous couple of weeks,” mentioned Gustavsson.
“I’ve been fascinated by him for a very long time. He has all the time been so optimistic and has had time for others and by no means considered himself, and he was that till the very finish,” 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 era of gamers, together with David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.
We’re deeply saddened that Sven-Göran Eriksson, who managed the #ThreeLions from 2001 to 2006, has handed away aged 76.
Our ideas are together with his household and mates right now.
Relaxation in peace, Sven. You may be tremendously missed ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aLtqWAG8K4
— England (@England) August 26, 2024
‘Charisma and keenness for the sport’
In his native Sweden, the place he’s identified merely as “Svennis”, Eriksson was praised as a terrific sports activities chief.
In January, he informed public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that his physician’s evaluation was that he had “at finest perhaps a 12 months [to live], at worst rather less”.
“We’ve identified about this. but it surely occurred in a short time. We weren’t ready for it to occur at this time,” Gustavsson informed AFP information company.
Born February 5, 1948 in Sunne in western Sweden, Eriksson discovered success as a soccer supervisor after retiring from a modest profession as a defender.
In 1977, he grew to become supervisor of the Swedish membership Degerfors IF. After main the small membership to success in decrease divisions, he attracted the eye of larger golf equipment.
He went on to handle Sweden’s IFK Goteborg earlier than discovering success internationally, managing Benfica in Portugal, in addition to a number of Italian groups together with Roma and Lazio.
His most high-profile place was as the primary foreigner to handle England’s nationwide squad, which he left in 2006 after 5 years in cost.
Eriksson then went on to handle the groups of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines, however by no means his native Sweden’s nationwide squad.
England’s Prince William, who’s the president of the English Soccer Affiliation, led the tributes to Eriksson, calling him a “true gentleman”.
“Unhappy to listen to concerning the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson. I met him a number of occasions as England supervisor and was all the time struck by his charisma and keenness for the sport,” he wrote on X.
“My ideas are together with his household and mates. A real gentleman of the sport.”
Unhappy to listen to concerning the passing of Sven-Göran Eriksson. I met him a number of occasions as England supervisor and was all the time struck by his charisma and keenness for the sport. My ideas are together with his household and mates. A real gentleman of the sport. W
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) August 26, 2024
Though Eriksson was unable to finish England’s anticipate a primary main trophy for the reason that 1966 World Cup, his groups produced a number of memorable performances, together with a 5-1 rout of Germany in a World Cup qualifier in 2001.
“It is a very unhappy day. He gave all England followers such particular reminiscences. Nobody can ever neglect the 5-1 victory in Munich towards Germany beneath Sven’s steerage,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham mentioned.
Bullingham added: “Sven will likely be rightly recognised and endlessly remembered for his important work with the England staff, and for his wider contribution to the sport.”
After stepping down from the England job in 2006, Eriksson managed Manchester Metropolis within the 2007-08 season and the Premier League membership joined the tributes to their former boss.
“We wish to categorical our honest condolences to the household and mates of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has handed away on the age of 76. Relaxation in peace, Sven,” a Metropolis assertion mentioned.
We wish to categorical our honest condolences to the household and mates of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has handed away on the age of 76.
Relaxation in peace, Sven. 🩵
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) August 26, 2024
Liverpool supplied Eriksson with an emotional remaining soccer reminiscence in March once they allowed him to fulfil a lifelong dream by managing them in a charity match at Anfield.
“Relaxation in peace, Sven-Goran Eriksson. The ideas of everybody on the membership are with Sven’s household and mates at this extraordinarily unhappy time,” Liverpool mentioned in an announcement.
Eriksson was a title winner because the boss of Lazio and Benfica, additionally lifting the UEFA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup and reaching the European Cup remaining throughout a memorable profession.
The Union of European Soccer Associations (UEFA) mentioned: “On behalf of the European soccer neighborhood, everyone at UEFA is deeply saddened to be taught of the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson.”
On behalf of the European soccer neighborhood, everyone at UEFA is deeply saddened to be taught of the passing of Sven Göran Eriksson.
A beloved determine within the sport, Sven was a UEFA Cup winner as coach of IFK Göteborg in 1982 earlier than main Lazio to the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1999.… pic.twitter.com/ZlNSFftl97
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 26, 2024
