Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who led England from 2001 to 2006, passed away on Monday at the age of 76 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, his agent confirmed.
“He passed away peacefully this morning at home with his family by his side,” said Eriksson’s agent, Bo Gustavsson.
Eriksson, renowned for his management of several high-profile teams, guided England to the World Cup quarter-finals in both 2002 and 2006.
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He had announced in February 2023 that he was stepping back from public life due to health issues.
In January, he revealed to Sveriges Radio that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and was given a prognosis of “at best maybe a year to live, at worst a bit less.”
“We were aware of his condition, but it progressed very quickly. We were not prepared for it to happen today,” Gustavsson told AFP.
Born on February 5, 1948, in Sunne, Sweden, Eriksson, affectionately known as “Svennis” in his home country, enjoyed a successful managerial career after a modest stint as a defender.
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He began his managerial career in 1977 with Swedish club Degerfors IF, and after leading the team to success, he attracted attention from larger clubs. Eriksson managed IFK Goteborg, Benfica in Portugal, and several Italian teams including Roma and Lazio.
Eriksson’s most notable role was as the first foreign manager of the England national team.
During his tenure, he guided England to the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, where they were eliminated by Brazil, and again to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, where Portugal won in a penalty shootout.
In the 2004 UEFA European Championship, England was knocked out by Portugal in another penalty shootout.
After leaving the England role in 2006, Eriksson managed teams in Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines but never took charge of the Swedish national team.
His time with England was marked by a memorable 5-1 victory over Germany in a World Cup qualifier, as well as some controversy surrounding his personal life.
