Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson dies aged 76 after cancer battle

News of his poor health emerged in January

Farewell to a legend

Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson has passed away at the age of 76 after a long battle with cancer.

Renowned coach

Eriksson made history as the first non-British manager of the England national team, and guided the Three Lions to the quarter-finals in three major tournaments during his tenure from 2001 to 2006.

News of his poor health emerged in January

In January, Eriksson revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer and had "at best" a year to live.

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Announced by his family

On Monday (26 August), his family announced, per the BBC: "Sven-Göran Eriksson has passed away. After a long illness, SGE died peacefully at home this morning, surrounded by his family." The Swedish coach had a distinguished career, managing 12 clubs, including Manchester City, Leicester, Roma, and Lazio, and securing 18 trophies.

A legendary coaching career

Eriksson also led the national teams of Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines.

Newly released documentary

A documentary on his life titled 'Sven' was released earlier in August and revealed the heartbreaking nature of his illness.

Heartbreaking details

In January, Eriksson had collapsed during a run, after which his son, Johan, rushed to the hospital to see his father. "You can kind of tell when the doctor's in tears that... not good. Worst possible news," Johan revealed in the documentary.

"We found out that he had had five strokes..."

Erkisson's daughter, Lina, said, "We found out that he had had five strokes, and then you go into a state of fear. A panic mode," after seeing her father in the hospital.

Long career as a manager

After retiring as a player at 27, Eriksson began his managerial career with Degerfors in 1977, before moving to IFK Gothenburg, where he won the Swedish title, two Swedish Cups, and the 1982 UEFA Cup.

Trophy collector

He later managed Portuguese giants Benfica and Italian clubs Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, and Lazio, where he collected seven trophies, including the Serie A title, two Italian Cups, and the European Cup Winners' Cup

Still active in the game

Despite his deteriorating health, Eriksson spent time this year visiting several of his former clubs, including Lazio and Sampdoria. In March, the lifelong Liverpool fan helped lead a Liverpool Legends team to a 4-2 victory over an Ajax Legends side at Anfield.

A parting message

In the aforementioned documentary, Eriksson shared a heartfelt parting message: "I hope you will remember me as a positive guy who tried his best. Don't be sad, smile. Thank you to everyone—coaches, players, fans—it's been fantastic. Take care of yourselves and live life fully."

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