Sven-Göran Eriksson, England’s first overseas manager, passes away aged 76

Sven-Göran Eriksson, the first foreign manager of the England national football team and a highly decorated club coach, passed away at the age of 76. In January 2024, Eriksson publicly shared that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, giving him, at best, about a year to live. He had already stepped down from his last position as sporting director at Karlstad in Sweden a year earlier, citing unspecified health concerns.

Eriksson's death was confirmed by his Swedish agent, Bo Gustavsson, through his UK representative, Dean Eldredge of Oporto Sports. Eriksson passed away peacefully at home on Monday morning, surrounded by his family.

Eriksson's managerial career spanned over four decades, beginning in Sweden with Degerfors IF before he moved on to IFK Göteborg. Despite being relatively unknown to his new players at the time, Eriksson quickly made a name for himself, leading Göteborg to the Swedish championship and a UEFA Cup victory in 1982.

His success in Sweden earned him a move to Benfica in Portugal, where he continued to thrive, winning two league titles and reaching the UEFA Cup final in 1983. He later managed top European clubs, including Roma, Fiorentina, and Sampdoria, where he won the Coppa Italia in 1994. His greatest club success came at Lazio, where he led the team to a Serie A title in 2000.

In January 2001, Eriksson was appointed as England’s manager, a move that was met with controversy due to his nationality. Despite initial skepticism, he quickly proved his worth by leading England to several memorable victories, including the famous 5-1 win over Germany in Munich. However, his tenure was also marked by personal controversies, including a widely publicized affair and a tabloid sting in 2006, which led to his departure after the World Cup that year.

Eriksson continued to manage various clubs and national teams, including Manchester City, Leicester, Mexico, and the Philippines. In 2024, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by managing Liverpool in a charity match at Anfield, describing the experience as "a beautiful day."

A documentary titled "Sven" was released on Amazon Prime before his death, in which Eriksson left a heartfelt message to his supporters: "Don’t be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything... Take care of yourself and take care of your life. And live it. Bye."

Music by Yevhen Onoychenko from Pixabay