Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, best known for leading England’s national team from 2001 to 2006, passed away on Monday at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to his agent, Bo Gustavsson.
“He passed away peacefully this morning with his family by his side at home,” Gustavsson shared.
Eriksson, who guided England to the World Cup quarter-finals in both 2002 and 2006, had announced in February 2023 that he was stepping away from public life due to health concerns. In January, he revealed in an interview with Sveriges Radio that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and his doctors had given him an estimate of “at best, maybe a year (to live), at worst, a little less.”
“We were aware of his condition, but the end came more swiftly than we expected. We weren’t prepared for it to happen today,” Gustavsson said.
Born on February 5, 1948, in Sunne, western Sweden, Eriksson—affectionately known as “Svennis” in Sweden—transitioned into management after a modest career as a defender. His managerial career began in 1977 with Swedish club Degerfors IF. After leading the team to success in the lower divisions, he caught the attention of larger clubs.
Eriksson went on to manage IFK Göteborg in Sweden before making a name for himself on the international stage, managing clubs like Benfica in Portugal and several Italian teams, including Roma and Lazio.
His most prominent role was as the first foreigner to manage England’s national team. Under his leadership, England reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, only to be eliminated by Brazil. Four years later, they made it to the last eight again, but were defeated by Portugal in a penalty shoot-out, in a match remembered for Wayne Rooney’s red card following a clash with Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the 2004 European Championships, Eriksson once more led England to the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by Portugal in another penalty shoot-out.
Eriksson’s tenure with England ended in 2006 after five years. His time in charge included notable moments like a 5-1 victory over Germany in a World Cup qualifier, though it was also marred by controversy surrounding his personal life.
After his time with England, Eriksson went on to manage the national teams of Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines, though he never took charge of his home country’s national squad.
