Former England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76

Eriksson, the first non-British manager of the England team, led the Three Lions to the quarter-finals at three major tournaments during his five-year tenure in charge between2001 and 2006. In January 2024, Eriksson was diagnosed with cancer. His children Line and Johan, said, on Monday “Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Bjorkefors outside Sunne this morning”. He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness , but now it came to an end. Dad told us at the beginning of this year about his serious illness and received an amazing response from friends and football fans around Europe. He was invited to several football teams in England, Italy, Portugal and Sweden, they shared their love for football and for dad”.

Eriksson managed 12 clubs including Manchester City, Leicester, Rioma and Lazio winning 18 trophies. The Swede also had spells in charge of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines. After retiring as a player at the age 27, he began his managerial career with Degerfors in 1977 before joining fellow Swedish side Gothenburg. Where he won the league title , two domestic cups and the 1982 UEFA Cup. He went on to enjoy two spells with Portuguese giants Benfica as well as managing Italian sides Roma, Florentina, Sampdoria and Lazio where he won seven trophies including the Serie A title, two Italian Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Eriksson said in an Amazon film, “ I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when it is finished –when we die. But life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is. “.