Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away
Sven-Goran Eriksson
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76 following a long battle against pancreatic cancer.
The Swede managed the Three Lions in two World Cups and one European Championship during his five-year spell in charge, reaching the quarter-finals in each tournament.
His time in charge of England came during a coaching career that lasted for more than 40 years and saw him manage in eight different countries.
Sven-Goran Eriksson
Eriksson's most recent job was as sporting director at Swedish side Karlstad, but he stepped away from that post last year and revealed in January that he was suffering from terminal cancer.
As a coach, Eriksson won 18 trophies, including the 1982 UEFA Cup with IFK Goteborg, the 1999-2000 Serie A title with Lazio, plus three Primeira Liga titles during his time with Benfica. He was also the first manager to win league and cup doubles in three different countries.
In January 2001 he became the first foreign manager to take charge of the England national team, succeeding Kevin Keegan in the role. His high points with England included a 5-1 win over Germany in Munich during qualification for the 2002 World Cup, a campaign with culminated in David Beckham's late free-kick against Greece at Old Trafford.
Sven-Goran Eriksson
After standing down following the 2006 World Cup, he spent a season in charge at Manchester City, while a spell at Leicester City followed in 2010. He would also manage clubs and national teams in Mexico, Ivory Coast, China and the Philippines.
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English fans were able to say an emotional farewell to the Swede earlier this year, when he was in charge of a Liverpool charity team for a match against Ajax at Anfield in March.
“I was a little bit crying," he said following the match. "That will be a huge memory in life. To sit on the bench for Liverpool has been my dream my whole life and now it happened. Thank you to Liverpool for giving me the opportunity."
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
