The first foreign manager of England’s men’s national team, Sven-Göran Eriksson, was a trailblazer who passed away at 76. Eriksson, who had bravely announced his struggle with terminal pancreatic cancer in January, passed away quietly at home on Monday (August 26), surrounded by his loved ones, according to a family statement given by his former agent, Bo Gustavsson.
Eriksson was a very successful manager who led several elite clubs in Sweden, Portugal, and Italy, winning eighteen championships between 1977 and 2001.
Expanding upon his remarkable accomplishments as a club manager, he was named manager of the England national team, managing well-known players like Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, and Steven Gerrard.
Eriksson’s journey: From unremarkable player to pioneering manager
Eriksson tried his hardest, but he was unable to lead England to victory in either the World Cup or the European Championships, losing the 2002 World Cup, the 2004 Euro and the 2006 World Cup in the quarter-finals. England lost to Brazil in 2002 and to Portugal in 2004 and 2006.
After an unremarkable playing career, Eriksson helped Tord Grip at the Swedish club Degerfor. Eriksson became head coach after Grip went to manage Sweden, and he guided Degerfors to promotion.
His outstanding performance at Degerfors quickly drew the interest of AFK Göteborg, one of the best clubs in Swedish football. In 1982, he helped Göteborg win the UEFA Cup, which had never before been won by a Swedish team.
Hired by Benfica, Eriksson quickly guided the team to the Portuguese league championship in his first year with the club. After winning another championship in 1983–84, the Swedish manager managed four clubs in Serie A for 16 years.
His most significant achievement came with Lazio, where he won three major trophies and the Serie A in 2000, cementing his status as one of Europe’s best coaches,
A 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich and a thrilling draw against Greece guaranteed England a place in the 2002 World Cup under Eriksson as manager. England advanced to the quarter-fnals where Ronaldinho’s incredible free kick sealed their fate. England lost 2-1 to Brazil, who won the 2002 World Cup in Japan.