Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Swedish football manager best known for his time with England from 2001 to 2006, has died at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His agent, Bo Gustavsson, confirmed that Eriksson passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side.
Eriksson led England to the World Cup quarter-finals in both 2002 and 2006, marking significant achievements in his career. In February 2023, he announced his retirement from public life due to health concerns and revealed in January that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer, with his prognosis estimated at “at best maybe a year (to live), at worst a little less.”
Born on February 5, 1948, in Sunne, Sweden, Eriksson, known as “Svennis,” transitioned from a modest playing career to a distinguished managerial career. He began managing Swedish club Degerfors IF in 1977, leading them to success before moving on to larger clubs.
His career included stints with IFK Goteborg, Benfica in Portugal, and several Italian teams, including Roma and Lazio. Eriksson’s most notable role was as the first foreign manager of the England national team, where he took the team to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, where they were defeated by Brazil.