In Memoriam: England's First Overseas Manager "Sven-Göran Eriksson" Dies Aged 76

The Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has died; the Swede was England's first foreign head coach and led the country to the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004; Eriksson also coached Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester among othersormer England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76 following a long illness.

 

The Swede became the first foreign manager of the England men's football team in 2001, coaching the so-called "golden generation" of players including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. Amongst the coolest memories during the Swede era, we can't forget that iconic 5-1 victory away to Germany in 2001 but the team suffered painful quarter-final exits at three major tournaments during his reign.

 

The FA has announced a tribute will be paid to Eriksson in September, when England host Finland in a Nations League game at Wembley. Eriksson recently reflected on his illness and life. "I had a good life," he said. "I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is."Hopefully, at the end people will say, 'yeah, he was a good man', but everyone will not say that. I hope you will remember me as a positive guy trying to do everything he could do.

Sven-Goran Eriksson - major honours in management

• IFK Goteborg - UEFA Cup 1981/82
• Benfica - 3x league champions (1982/83, 83/84, 90/91), Portuguese cup (82/83), European Cup runners-up (89/90), UEFA Cup runners-up (82/83)
• Roma - Coppa Italia (1985/86)
• Sampdoria - Coppa Italia (1993/94)
• Lazio - Serie A (1999/00), 2x Coppa Italia (97/98, 99/00), UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (98/99), UEFA Super Cup (99), UEFA Cup runners-up (97/98)
• England - World Cup quarter-finals (2002, 2006), European Championship quarter-finals (2004)

A family statement read: "After a long illness, Sven-Goran Eriksson died during the morning at home surrounded by family. "The closest mourners are daughter Lina; son Johan with wife Amana and granddaughter Sky; father Sven; girlfriend Yanisette with son Alcides; brother Lars-Erik with wife Jumnong.

 

Eriksson managed a string of high-profile European clubs during his career including Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio. After defeats in the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004, Eriksson left the England role and would later manage Mexico and the Ivory Coast, as well as Manchester City and Leicester City, clubs in China and the Philippines national team.

 

Due to his health issues, he stepped down as sporting director at Swedish club Karlstad in February 2023. After announcing his cancer diagnosis, Eriksson was granted his lifelong wish when he led out Liverpool Legends for a charity match against Ajax at Anfield in March.

 

When he was appointed in 2000, the FA hailed him as one of the best coaches in world football. He was the unanimous choice of English football's kingmakers. He was a media dream - enigmatic, controversial, colourful, European. He was very different from his predecessors.

 

He appeared as regularly on the front pages of the tabloid newspapers as he did on the back. But his football CV showed him to be a serial winner, with 18 trophies across three countries. Eriksson took charge of England's 'Golden Generation' of players, but he couldn't deliver a major international title, and he was eventually sacked after being famously tricked by the Fake Sheikh in 2006.

 

It was a typically chaotic and controversial conclusion to his biggest job in football.