Inside late Sven-Goran Eriksson’s tragic cancer battle after revealed he had terminal illness just months ago
AS Sven-Goran Eriksson bravely battled his tragic cancer battle he opened up about his struggles in heartbreaking confessions about family and treatment.
The former England and Manchester City manager revealed his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in January and today sadly passed away aged 76.
The Swede’s family released a heartbreaking statement which read: “Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away.
“After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family.”
The medicine… we don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m sort of scared. It takes a little bit of time before we can accept it. I’m still here
Sven-Goran Eriksson
A heart-wrenching tribute from his children Lina and Johan Eriksson added: “Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Björkefors outside Sunne this morning. He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness, but now it came to an end.”
They continued: “We hope that you will remember Svennis as the good and positive person he always was both in public and at home with us.”
Doctors initially gave Eriksson – who managed the Three Lions for five years and three tournaments – “about a year” to live.
He received the crushing blow following tests after he woke up feeling dizzy.
The former manager previously revealed: “I thought I was fully healthy but suddenly I had a small stroke so I fell and my children took me to the hospital.
“After one day of examination they told me I had five small strokes, but said ‘no problem, you will recover 100 per cent from that’.
“But worse is they said I have cancer which they can’t operate on.
“They said they will give me treatment and medicine to try and live as long as possible. I have that diagnosis and they can’t operate, unfortunately.”
In the months before his death, the 76-year-old saw his life chronicled in a documentary for Amazon Prime Video.
Sven gave a final message to former players, coaches and supporters after speaking openly about his affairs and life in the film.
In a touching clip at the end of the documentary, Sven told viewers: “I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well.
But you can trick your brain. See the positive in things, don’t wallow in adversity, because this is the biggest adversity of course, but make something good out of it
Sven-Goran Eriksson
“You have to learn to accept it for what it is. Hopefully at the end people will say, yeah, he was a good man, but everyone will not say that.
“I hope you will remember me as a positive guy trying to do everything he could do. Don’t be sorry, smile.
“Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds, it’s been fantastic. Take care of yourself and take care of your life. And live it.”
The film then pans back to Sven in his home, with the former England manager concluding his message with “bye”.
Since learning of his diagnosis, Sven spent most of his time in Sweden at his family home in Sunne.
He revealed one of his favourite spots, Fryken lake, could be his final resting place.
It comes as…
- Prince William paid a touching tribute to Sven after his death aged 76
- Sven left film crews in tears after filming his heartbreaking final goodbye alone
- Fans looked back on Eriksson’s astonishing career and role as England gaffer
- Sven’s close friend gave a devastating update on his health battle shortly before his death
- We looked back at the ex-England manager’s time with the ‘golden generation’ tipped for glory
“I always thought it’s a great place to sleep,” he said.
“The ashes could be thrown into the water here. It feels like home.”
Meanwhile, one of Eriksson’s close friends released a heartbreaking update just days before his death.
The dear pal spoke of how the 76-year-old had been too ill to go on his favourite lakeside walk in his final days.
Sven-Goran Eriksson's managerial career
FOLLOWING Sven-Goran Eriksson's death from his battle with cancer, SunSport takes a look at his remarkable managerial career...
PROMISING START
It began in Sweden in 1977 where he won the third division with Degerfors, before he joined Gothenburg and won two Swedish Cups and the Uefa Cup.
He then took over at Benfica in 1982 and spent two seasons with the Portuguese giants where he won back-to-back league titles.
INCREDIBLE ITALIAN SUCCESS
Stints followed in Italy with Roma and Fiorentina, but he returned to Benfica in 1989 and reached the European Cup final before losing to AC Milan.
Eriksson claimed a third league title with Benfica the following year, leaving in 1992 for Sampdoria.
He spent five seasons with the Serie A side, winning the Copa Italia in 1994.
Eriksson then added another two Coppa Italias to his trophy cabinet with Lazio across a four-year spell.
ENGLAND APPOINTMENT
Then came the England job in 2001 where he spent five years at the helm of the national side.
He reached the quarter-finals of World Cup 2002, losing 2-1 to eventual winners Brazil.
England then suffered back-to-back eliminations at the hands of Portugal at Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006.
PREMIER LEAGUE SPELLS
After leaving the Three Lions following his third major tournament, he spent one season at Manchester City.
Spells followed at Mexico, Ivory Coast and Leicester, before he moved to China where he coached three clubs across a four-year period.
His last managerial stint came for the Philippines national team, a position he held from October 2018 to January 2019.
MAJOR HONOURS
Portugal League title x 3 (Benfica 82/83, 83/84, 90/91)
Copa Italia x 4 (Roma 85/86, Sampdoria 93/94, Lazio 97/98, 99/00)
Serie A title (Lazio 99/00)
Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup (Lazio 98/99)
Uefa Super Cup (Lazio 99)
BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year (England 2001)
Speaking to The Mirror, close friend Runebjer said: “I’ve seen Sven and how do I feel? I feel sad but I am happy to have known Sven and know that I can still see him. This is my reaction.
“He is such a tremendous person.
“Lake Fryken is beautiful. It is 90 kilometres long from south to north and it is a beautiful landscape. You can see that in the pictures. You can definitely fish in that lake too.
“But sadly his condition does not allow Sven to do that any more. It is a hard time for him.”
FAMILY BONDS
During his gruelling battle with the disease, Eriksson opened up about how he healed his relationship with his children.
When he was rushed to intensive care, his daughter Lina called her brother Johan to tell him: “Dad is in the emergency room. And he’s not in a good way.”
The family went into “panic mode” when they discovered that Eriksson had suffered five strokes.
Even doctors were left in tears when delivering the dire news.
Son Johan, 45, who now works as a football agent and Lina, 37 both rallied behind him during his illness and appeared in the documentary.
It’s only very recently that I’ve been able to reconnect with dad and to have a very different relationship with him than I had had as a teenager
Linda Eriksson
In the film, Eriksson was candid about his parenting choices during the breakdown of his marriage.
He said: “When you get divorced, you feel bad – and I did. At that time I don’t think I was a great dad. But before that and after that I guess I was okay.
“It’s good to see that the children found the right way and have a good life. I am proud of them. Extremely proud.”
Lina also talked about reconnecting with her father and how difficult it was to see him struggle.
She said: “He’s a very black-and-white person when it comes to how he’s feeling. Everything’s good, or it’s s**t.
“Every time coming back to the house, I see the clear difference in deteriorating. That’s really, really hard to see.”
“I think it has taken time to process and I think he has come a long way now than initially”, Lina added.
“It’s only very recently that I’ve been able to reconnect with dad and to have a very different relationship with him than I had had as a teenager.
“You realise the value of life and that what you thought was important is really not that important.”
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
PANCREATIC cancer doesn't always cause symptoms in its early stages.
As the cancer grows and you do begin to show signs, these may come and go and be unspecific, making it hard to diagnose, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Common symptoms include:
- Indigestion – a painful, burning feeling in your chest with an unpleasant taste in your mouth
- Tummy or back pain – it may start as general discomfort or tenderness in the tummy area and spread to the back, which get worse lying down and feel better is you sit forward
- Diarrhoea and constipation – see a GP if you have runny poos for more than seven days, especially if you’ve lost weight as well
- Steatorrhoea – pale, oily poo that’s bulky, smells horrible and floats, making it hard to flush
- Losing a lot of weight without meaning to
- Jaundice – yellow skin and eyes, as well as dark pee, pale poo and itchy skin
Speaking of the diagnosis himself, Eriksson said: “It was a shock. It’s one of those which will not go away.
“But you can slow them down hopefully. I have no pain but I know it’s there. One day it will take you. Before that day, live instead of sitting down thinking about what and when it will happen.
“I always feel bad to plan the future.
“I take it as it comes. I know what I have and I know life will not last forever. Far away from that but I’m okay.”
Eriksson bravely undertook treatment that helped slow down the progression of his cancer.
“The medicine… we don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m sort of scared. It takes a little bit of time before we can accept it. I’m still here,” he said.
Daughter Lina also spoke about her father’s previous fears of his treatment being stopped.
“He really wants to continue with the treatment to try and stop the growth of the cancer as much as possible”, she said.
“So for him, any kind of side effect or challenge or anything like that, he just tries to fight it because he’s so scared that they will stop the treatment for him.”
In a touching and emotional moment, she added: “It’s hard to imagine life without him.”
Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and for his wider contribution to the game
Current FA chief executive Mark Bullingham
Meanwhile, his partner of the last 15 years, Yaniseth del Carmen Bravo Mendoza, also stood by his side in the final days.
“I’m trying to be calm for his sake because he’s making such a huge effort”, she said in the documentary.
“We’ve been together fifteen years and I’m hoping that we’ll be together for many years to come. I’ll never lose this hope. I can’t.”
Due to his health issues, Eriksson was sadly forced to step down as sporting director at Swedish club Karlstad in February 2023.
After bravely announcing his cancer diagnosis, he was granted his lifelong wish when he led out Liverpool Legends, as they played in a charity match against Ajax at Anfield in March.
Revealing his illness in January, Eriksson told P1: “Everyone understands that I have an illness that is not good.
“Everyone guesses it’s cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can.”
When asked about the prognosis, Eriksson said: “You can’t be absolutely sure. It is better not to think about it.
“But you can trick your brain. See the positive in things, don’t wallow in adversity, because this is the biggest adversity of course, but make something good out of it.”
Heartbreaking tribute in full
A statement from his children Lina and Johan Eriksson today read: “Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Björkefors outside Sunne this morning. He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness, but now 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 serious 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 beautiful words are usually only uttered when someone has died.”
The children added: “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 both in public and at home with us.”
‘TRUE GENTLEMAN’
During Eriksson’s time at the helm, England’s “Golden Generation” went from 17th in the world rankings to fifth.
Football Association patron Prince William today paid tribute to him as a “true gentleman of the game”.
The England fans’ group Free Lions also paid a touching tribute on X: “RIP Sven. For the night in Munich, amongst everything else, thank you for the memories.”
This is honouring England’s glory after their 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich in a World Cup qualifier in September 2001.
Current FA chief executive Mark Bullingham added today: “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.
“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.”
SunSport’s Shaun Custis and Martin Lipton discussed Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England legacy following his death aged 76.
Custis: “He was the most polite, civil manager I’ve ever dealt with in my life.”
Lipton: “There are many managers who are prone to paroxysms of aggravation and screaming matches.
“You can’t imagine Sven ever raising his voice, let alone having a row with someone. He was a gentle man and a gentleman throughout his dealings with us certainly. And I think that always came across from the very outset.
“He was clearly a quite calm, unflappable character and he wasn’t going to let anything perturb him no matter what it was. No matter what questions were thrown at him, no matter what stick he got. He had this veneer of utter tranquillity.”
Custis: “There was a lot of mystery to him. You weren’t reading things about him every two minutes online as you would do now but he came in and he got off to a great start with that 3-0 win over Spain.”
Lipton: “He just loved being around football, didn’t he that was the thing.
“He didn’t want to give it up… He actually, genuinely loved being around football players, being a manager and all the trappings of that and just being important. Because he enjoyed being Sven-Goran Eriksson – football manager.”
Lipton: “He brought back a belief in the England team in that period, he gave us a night we’ll never forget and oversaw the real change in the culture of English football in that it became more celebrity in many ways.
“The players became bigger than they’d ever been and he managed to keep that under a degree of wraps… He was a better manager than I thought he was at the time.”