Swedish football boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, who guided England from 2001 to 2006, died on Monday at 76 years old. His agent confirmed that he passed away after bravely fighting pancreatic cancer. Many will remember Eriksson’s influential coaching career as his legacy in football.
Eriksson’s agent Bo Gustavsson informed AFP that he peacefully died this morning at his home with his family by his side.
The Swedish manager, who led several top teams and guided England to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2002 and 2006, revealed in February 2023 his decision to withdraw from the public eye citing “health problems”.
In January, he revealed to public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that he had pancreatic cancer and that his doctor estimated he had “maybe a year at best, a little less at worst” to live.
Gustavsson, talking to AFP, was surprised by how suddenly Eriksson passed away. He mentioned that while we knew about his illness, the quick advancement caught us off guard. “We were caught off guard by what happened today.” Eriksson’s sudden death has caused sorrow and prompted people to contemplate his important impact on football.
Eriksson, known as “Svennis” in Sweden, was born on February 5, 1948 in Sunne, Sweden and transitioned from a modest career as a defender to find success as a football manager. In 1977, he took on the role of manager at Swedish team Degerfors IF. Having achieved success with a small club in lower divisions, he caught the eye of larger clubs.
Afterwards, he took over the management of IFK Goteborg in Sweden before achieving success on a global scale by managing Benfica in Portugal, as well as various Italian teams such as Roma and Lazio.
His most prominent role was being the initial non-native person in charge of coaching England’s national team. While in charge, he led England to reach the World Cup quarterfinals in 2002, but they were eliminated by Brazil.
Four years later, they reached the quarter-finals where Portugal won in a penalty shoot-out after Wayne Rooney was red-carded for a clash with Cristiano Ronaldo, his Manchester United teammate at the time.
Eriksson took England to the quarterfinals of the 2004 Euros, where they were once again eliminated by Portugal in a penalty shoot-out.
He departed from his position as the England coach in 2006, having been in charge for five years. During his time as the team’s manager, he experienced a famous 5-1 victory against Germany in a World Cup qualifying match, but also faced scrutiny over his private affairs.
This day is filled with great sorrow. In a statement, Mark Bullingham, CEO of England’s Football Association, stated that he provided England fans with unforgettable memories. Bullingham continued by stating that Sven will be appropriately acknowledged and always celebrated for his important contributions to the England team and to the sport as a whole.
Eriksson continued to coach Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines, but never took charge of Sweden’s national team.
In March, Sven-Goran Eriksson finally achieved his longstanding goal of coaching English soccer team Liverpool. This position met a major goal for Eriksson, as he had always dreamt of managing one of England’s most renowned teams. His distinguished career had a significant chapter through his connection with Liverpool.
He, along with ex-Liverpool stars Ian Rush, John Barnes, and John Aldridge, led Liverpool Legends in a charity match against Ajax Legends, resulting in a 4-2 victory for his team.
Eriksson mentioned that he had cried prior to the start of the game, as he was applauded by the fans and heard them singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ as he stepped onto the field. Eriksson stated that it would be a significant memory in life. “Truly stunning.”