FORMER England, Cote d’Ivoire and Lazio manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is dead.
Eriksson passed away today at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer.
The England national team confirmed his death and paid a moving tribute to the late Swede.
“We are deeply saddened that Sven-Goran Eriksson, who managed the England men’s senior team has passed away, aged 76.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time,” England wrote on their official website.
“This is a very sad day. He gave all England fans such special memories. No one can ever forget the 5-1 victory in Munich against Germany under Sven’s guidance,” English FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
“Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and for his wider contribution to the game.
“On behalf of my colleagues at the FA, past and present, our thoughts are with his friends and family today. He will be much missed, and we will pay tribute to him when we play Finland at Wembley next month.”
It was announced in January 2024 that Eriksson had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, before news of his passing was revealed today.
“Eriksson was a distinguished figure in the world of football management and leaves behind a legacy that has enriched the sport across the globe, thanks to a career which began in his homeland of Sweden before taking in Portugal, Italy, Mexico, Cote d’Ivoire, China, Thailand, UAE, the Philippines and, of course, England,” England added.
“Born on 5 February 1948, in Sunne in western Sweden, his journey in football began as a player in his homeland, most notably as a defender with Torsby, before transitioning to coaching where he truly made his mark.
“His career on the touchline began in 1977 and saw successful spells with Degerfors IF and IFK Goteborg, who he led to the UEFA Cup title in 1982, before moving to Portugal with Benfica and then onto Italy for spells with Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio.
“Appointed as the Three Lions manager in January 2001, Sven became the first non-British manager of the England national team and he quickly became a popular figure with players, fans and pundits alike.
“During his five-year spell, England went from 17th place in the FIFA World Rankings when he took charge to fifth by the time of his departure in July 2006, and he was considered by many as one of England’s most-successful managers since Sir Alf Ramsey.
“Taking over midway through qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup following Kevin Keegan’s resignation, he quickly got the team working together and with a string of victories got the campaign back on track.
“There was that unforgettable night in Munich, as the Three Lions beat group rivals Germany by 5-1 in September 2001 to revive their chances of automatic qualification and they took it to the final game at Old Trafford against Greece, when David Beckham’s last-gasp free-kick sealed the draw which secured England’s place at the Finals in Japan and South Korea.
“Once there, England progressed through their group stage and beat Denmark in the first knockout game to set up a quarter-final against Brazil, where they were narrowly beaten by 2-1 against the South Americans who would go on to lift the title.
“From there, Sven continued to build his team and led England through the qualification process for UEFA EURO 2004, introducing young talent such as Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole into the squad along the way as the Three Lions headed to Portugal with high expectations.
“And after some impressive performances against the likes of Croatia and Switzerland, they reached the quarter-final where they were beaten on penalties by the host nation having seen Rooney forced off with an injury after Michael Owen had given England an early lead.
“Eriksson oversaw qualification for what was his third and final major tournament as England manager at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, where they topped their group to once again progress to the knockout stage. A victory over Ecuador set up another quarter-final meeting with Portugal, which once again finished all square at 1-1 before Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team won after a penalty shootout.
“It had been announced before that tournament that Sven would leave his role after the World Cup, and after a year on the sidelines he returned to the touchline in England as Manchester City manager when he took over in July 2007.”
Eriksson had further spells as a manager in England with both Notts County and Leicester City, in between his appointments as an international head coach with both Mexico (2008-2009) and Cote d’Ivoire (2010), before his career took him to roles in China, United Arab Emirates and Thailand.
“Off the field, Eriksson’s affable personality and charismatic presence endeared him to fans and colleagues alike, and his legacy will continue to be remembered for years to come,” the England national team noted.
