Sven-Goran Eriksson, the renowned Swedish soccer manager who made history as England’s first foreign-born coach after achieving acclaim with clubs in Italy, Portugal, and Sweden, passed away on Monday at 76 years old.
Eriksson died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, as confirmed by his agent, Bo Gustavsson.
Eriksson’s death comes eight months after he publicly shared his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, revealing that he had been given at most one year to live.
Following his diagnosis, Eriksson received an outpouring of love and tributes from former players and clubs. A biographical documentary about his life was created, and he was honored with the opportunity to manage his favorite club, Liverpool, for a day during a charity game.
“As a coach, Sven-Goran was both a great innovator and a true ambassador of our beautiful game,” remarked FIFA President Gianni Infantino. These sentiments were echoed by many leading figures in the soccer world who paid tribute to Eriksson on Monday.
Known affectionately as “Svennis” in Sweden, Eriksson transitioned from a modest nine-year playing career to a distinguished coaching career at the age of 27. His coaching journey saw him travel widely and reach a pinnacle in 2001 when he was appointed as England’s coach.
Shortly into his tenure with England, he led the team to an extraordinary 5-1 victory against Germany in Munich during a World Cup qualifying game. Eriksson coached a “golden generation” of players, including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney, leading the team to the quarterfinals in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, where they were eliminated by Brazil and Portugal, respectively.
At the European Championship in 2004, England, under Eriksson’s guidance, was also ousted at the quarterfinal stage by Portugal through a penalty shootout, mirroring the World Cup exit in 2006.
David Beckham, who Eriksson made captain of the national team, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, “We laughed, we cried and we knew we were saying goodbye. Sven, thank you for always being the person you have always been — passionate, caring, calm and a true gentleman. I will forever remember you making me your captain and these precious moments with you and your family.”
Eriksson’s tenure with England was often as noted for his off-field controversies as for his on-field achievements. His private life captured headlines, including affairs with Swedish TV personality Ulrika Jonsson and Football Association secretary Faria Alam, which fueled England’s tabloid press.
“My private life was not very private in England,” Eriksson commented in 2018. His era also saw the rise of the WAG (wives and girlfriends) culture, with high-profile partners of players, such as Victoria Beckham, making headlines during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Though he later had brief stints managing the national teams of Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines, Eriksson’s major accolades came in club football. He won significant titles with IFK Gothenburg, including a league-and-cup double and the now-defunct UEFA Cup in 1982.
His accomplishments continued with Benfica, where he claimed back-to-back Portuguese titles, the Portuguese Cup, and reached the European Cup final in 1990 before winning the league again in 1991.
Eriksson became a major coaching figure in Italy, especially with Lazio, where he led the team to its second league title in 2000, two Italian Cups, and the last ever European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1999. His Lazio tenure was marked by significant spending under owner Sergio Cragnotti, bringing talents like Juan Sebastián Verón, Pavel Nedved, Sinisa Mihajlovic, and later, Hernan Crespo and Claudio López.
He also managed Manchester City and Leicester in England and served as director of football at Notts County during a brief period of significant investment by a Middle Eastern consortium.
Eriksson, always composed and direct, was beloved by his players and known for his man-management skills. He ended his coaching career with stints at Guangzhou and Shanghai SIPG in China and later served as sporting director at Karlstad in Sweden before stepping down for health reasons in February 2023.
Eriksson’s terminal cancer diagnosis became widely known 11 months later. He remained positive, stating, “No, look at things positively and don’t wallow in adversity. Because this is, of course, the biggest setback.”
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson paid homage to Eriksson, saying, “Svennis’ importance to football, in Sweden and outside Sweden, cannot be overestimated. I can only imagine how many girls and boys have started playing football — and dared to dream — because of his efforts. Thanks for everything Svennis!”
