By Victor Kanayo
Former England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed on, aged 76.
Eriksson who managed England between 2001 and 2006, a period regarded as the national team’s golden era, had battled pancreatic cancer.
Announcing his passage in a statement on Monday afternoon, his children wrote, “Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Bjorkefors outside Sunne this morning. He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness, but it came to an end.
“Our thoughts go out to Sven-Goran’s father Sven; girlfriend Yaniseth and her son Alcides; to his brother Lasse and wife Jumnong, as well as to all good friends and acquaintances in Sweden and around the world.
“Dad told us at the beginning of this year about his srious illness and received an amazing response from friends and football fans around Europe. He was invited to several football teams in England, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. They shared their love for football and for dad. It was unforgettable for both him and us. He expressed his appreciation and joy and stated that such beautifull words are usually only uttered when someone has died.
“We have shared his gratitude and got to experience the wonderful meetings between him, football and all his friends. We thank everyone for these positive memories and your support during his illness.
“We hope that you will remember Svennis as the good and positive person he always was in both public and at home with us. Lina and John Eriksson.”
Eriksson’s agent Bo Gustavsson said the deceased died peacefully with his family around him at his home.
The Swede, who managed a number of high-profile teams and took England to World Cup quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006, announced in February 2023 that he was stepping back from public life due to “health issues”.
In January, Eriksson told public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and that his doctor’s assessment was that he had “at best maybe a year (to live), at worst a little less”.
