Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, who coached the country’s ‘golden generation’ at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, has said he has cancer and might have less than a year to live “at best.”
Eriksson told Swedish Radio P1 he discovered he had cancer after collapsing suddenly. He said in February last year that he was reducing his public appearances because of health issues.
“Everyone understands that I have a disease that is not good, and everyone guesses that it is cancer and it is,” Eriksson said in an interview published Thursday.
Eriksson said that he has pancreatic cancer and that it is inoperable.
“At best I have maybe a year, at worst maybe a little less,” he said.
The 75-year-old said he is trying to think positively.
“I could go and think about it all the time and sit at home and be grumpy and think I’m unlucky and so on,” he said. “I think that is easily done, that you end up there.
“No, look at things positively and don’t wallow in adversity. Because this is, of course, the biggest setback.”
Eriksson became England’s first foreign-born coach after making his name winning league titles at club level with Lazio in Italy, Benfica in Portugal and Gothenburg in his native Sweden.
Eriksson coached England between 2001 and 2006, with an all-star cast of players, including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney. The team reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups before elimination by Brazil and Portugal, respectively.
In the only other major tournament under Eriksson — Euro 2004 — England were also knocked out at the quarterfinal stage, again by Portugal and via a penalty shootout.
Rooney, who rose to prominence on the international stage under Eriksson at Euro 2004, posted a message of support to his former manager on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.
“Sad news this morning,” Rooney said. “Thoughts are with Sven Goran-Eriksson and his family. A brilliant coach and a special person. Loved and respected by everyone. We’re all with you Sven, keep fighting.”
Eriksson’s last coaching role was with the Philippines’ national team in 2018-19, and he most recently had the role of sporting director at Karlstad, a team in Sweden’s third division.
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