Former England Manager Sven-Göran Eriksson Dies at 76

Sven-Göran Eriksson, the first foreign manager of England’s men’s national team, has sadly passed away at the age of 76. Eriksson had revealed in January that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

A statement from Eriksson’s family, shared by his former agent Bo Gustavsson, confirmed that the Swedish football legend died peacefully at his home on Monday, surrounded by his loved ones.

Eriksson had a distinguished career as a football manager, winning 18 trophies from 1977 to 2001 across various clubs in Sweden, Portugal, and Italy. His success in club management led to his appointment as the manager of the England national team, which included stars like Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, and Wayne Rooney.

However, Eriksson could not guide England to significant international success, with the team being knocked out at the quarterfinal stage of three consecutive tournaments between 2002 and 2006. Despite his struggles on the international stage, his impact on English football remains noteworthy.

Eriksson began his coaching career in his native Sweden with a modest playing background, starting as an assistant to Tord Grip at Degerfors. He later became the head coach and led Degerfors to promotion, which caught the attention of higher-tier clubs.

His tenure at AFK Goteborg in Swedish football’s top tier was marked by significant achievements, including winning the UEFA Cup in 1982—making Goteborg the first Swedish team to clinch the trophy.

Eriksson’s next major appointment was at Benfica, where he guided the team to the Portuguese league title in his first season. Adding to his achievements, he secured consecutive titles and eventually moved on to manage four Serie A clubs over a 16-year period.

His most notable success came with Lazio, where he solidified his reputation as one of Europe’s premier coaches. He led Lazio to a Serie A title in 2000, only the second in the club’s history, along with three other major trophies.

His success with club football prompted his historic appointment as the first non-British manager of the England national team. Eriksson took over after Kevin Keegan’s resignation, rejuvenating England’s World Cup qualification campaign. Memorable moments under Eriksson included a stunning 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich and a dramatic draw against Greece, which secured England’s spot in the 2002 World Cup.

Despite high hopes, England’s World Cup journey in 2002 ended in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 defeat to Brazil, courtesy of a decisive Ronaldinho free kick. Similar heartbreak followed at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, with England being eliminated by Portugal on penalties in both tournaments.

After his departure from the England role post-2006 World Cup, Eriksson took a year off before taking the reins at Manchester City. His tenure at the Etihad was short-lived, lasting only one season, as the team failed to maintain their early-season momentum and finished ninth in the Premier League.

Eriksson’s varied coaching stints included spells with Mexico, Notts County, Ivory Coast, Leicester City, and in China. His coaching career eventually concluded after a brief four-month period as the manager of the Philippines national team.

In March, Eriksson made a final appearance in the dugout, fulfilling a dream of his boyhood as a Liverpool fan by joining the management team for a charity match against Ajax. Liverpool legends emerged victorious with a 4-2 win.

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