By Johan Ahlander and Stine Jacobsen
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who became the first foreigner to lead the England national team, died on Monday at the age of 76.
Eriksson, a charismatic coach who guided Swedish, Portuguese and Italian clubs to major trophies in the 1980s and 1990s before taking on the England job in 2001, announced in January that he was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer.
Eriksson’s long-time agent Bo Gustavsson said Eriksson had lost his battle with cancer early on Monday, surrounded by his family.
“We knew it was going to end bad, it all went really fast in the last few weeks,” Gustavsson told Reuters.
“He has always been so positive and has had time for others and never thought of himself, and he was that until the very end,” the agent added.
His two children, Lina and Johan Eriksson, thanked all those people who had supported their father.
“I get to hear it while I’m alive and I’m incredibly grateful for that. The heart beats twice and the tears come,” they quoted Eriksson as saying in a statement.
“I have had the best job in the world and I was happy every day for long periods. It’s been fantastic.”
Eriksson led England to the 2002 and 2006 World Cup quarter-finals, and to the 2004 European Championship, managing a golden generation of players, including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.
“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.” English FA CEO Mark Bullingham wrote on X.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Eriksson first gained international recognition by guiding Swedish club IFK Gothenburg to the UEFA Cup title in 1982, and enjoyed successful spells as coach of Portugal’s Benfica and Italian clubs AS Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio and Sampdoria.
Politicians, former clubs and players praised Eriksson.
“We laughed, we cried & we knew we were saying goodbye,” Beckham, who was England captain under the Swede, wrote on Instagram.
“Sven, thank you for always being the person you have always been, passionate, caring, calm & a true gentleman…I will be forever grateful for you making me your captain,” Beckham said.
Former England striker Rooney wrote on X: “A special man. Thanks for the memories and all your help and advice.”
Alessandro Nesta, who was captain of Italy’s Lazio under Eriksson and is now coach of Serie A team Monza, said on X: “Rest in peace great Coach and extraordinary person. I will always carry you in my heart.”
Italy’s soccer federation said matches in the country’s top two divisions would be preceded by a minute’s silence in Eriksson’s honour.
Accolades came from politicians too, including Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.
“He will be remembered for his tremendous contribution to English football which brought joy to so many over the years,” Starmer said on X.
In his native Sweden, where he is known simply as “Svennis”, Eriksson was hailed as a great leader.
“Sven-Goran ‘Svennis’ Eriksson has left us but lives on in the hearts of the Swedish people. Svennis’ importance to football in Sweden and outside Sweden cannot be overestimated,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Instagram.
After leaving the England job in 2006, Eriksson coached Manchester City and Leicester City as well as the Mexico and Ivory Coast national sides and clubs in China and the Philippines.
He also fulfilled a long-held ambition to take charge of a Liverpool team at Anfield when he coached the Reds Legends in a charity match in March.
“Rest in peace, Sven-Goran Eriksson. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Sven’s family and friends at this extremely sad time,” Liverpool said on X.
(Reporting by Stine Jacobsen and Johan Ahlander, additional reporting by Niklas Pollard, Giulia Segreti, Alvise Armellini and Pearl Josephine Nazare, editing by Terje Solsvik and Ed Osmond)
