Eriksson revealed in January 2024 that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and predicted he had “at best” 12 months left to live.
“After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family,” a statement read. “The closest mourners are daughter Lina; son Johan with wife Amana and granddaughter Sky; father Sven; girlfriend Yanisette with son Alcides; brother Lars-Erik with wife Jumnong.
“The family asks for respect for their wish to mourn in private and not be contacted.”
After Eriksson revealed one of his biggest career regrets—never having the chance to manage Liverpool—the club took notice. In response, they invited him to lead a charity match featuring club legends at Anfield in March 2024.
Eriksson called the experience a “memory for life,” and was deeply moved to tears by the Anfield crowd’s heartfelt rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
After a brief playing career in his homeland of Sweden, Sven-Göran Eriksson shifted to coaching, starting with Degerfors and then moving on to Göteborg. His impressive performance with Göteborg, especially winning the 1981/82 UEFA Cup, caught the attention of Benfica, where he won two league titles in two seasons before taking on a role at Roma.
Eriksson’s career then saw him manage Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, and a second stint at Benfica. In 2001, he made history by becoming the first foreign manager of the England national team.
Under Eriksson’s leadership, England reached the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004, climbing to fourth in FIFA’s world rankings after starting at 17th when he took over.
After his time with England, Eriksson managed several teams, including Manchester City, Mexico, the Ivory Coast, Leicester City, Guangzhou R&F, Shanghai SIPG, Shenzhen, and the Philippines. His coaching career slowed in 2023 due to illness, leading him to step back from active roles in football.
