The former England manager has ‘at best’ a year to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January
Looking out onto a tranquil Swedish lake, Sven-Goran Eriksson finds peace amidst the chaos of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The 76 year old hints that these serene waters may be his final resting place.
Preparing for his last hurrah, he delivers an emotional farewell, with words echoing the wisdom gained from decades of life experience. Sven reflects: “I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well.
“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.”
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He adds: “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. Bye.”
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This heartfelt scene concludes a new Prime Video documentary, in which the former England manager reflects on his storied football journey that saw him gain popularity worldwide. Among his numerous achievements was fulfilling his dream of managing Liverpool during a legends match against Ajax in March.
Despite leading a talented England squad often dubbed the ‘Golden Generation’ – boasting stars like Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Ashley Cole – their World Cup campaigns regularly ended at the quarter-final stage.
Eriksson’s tenure as England manager was as much in the news for his personal escapades as it was for football. His affairs, particularly with high-profile figures like Nancy Dell’Olio, Ulrika Jonsson, and FA secretary Faria Alam, were constant tabloid fodder.
The documentary also follows what might be Eriksson’s last months after he disclosed in January that he is battling pancreatic cancer and has “at best” a year to live. Since his diagnosis, Sven has been spending most of his time at his home in Sunne, Sweden, reconnecting with his family.
During a visit to Fryken lake near his childhood home, he reflects: “Beautiful place, it makes you calm. It makes me calm. Below the mountain there my father grew up.
“Straight ahead, that is Thornsby where I grew up. And Sunne where I was born.”
While gazing at the lake, he contemplates: “I always thought it’s a great place to sleep. The ashes could be thrown into the water here. It feels like home.”
The film captures serene moments as he reads, plays cards, and enjoys meals with his son Johan, daughter Lina, and his long-term partner Yaniseth Bravo. Sven shares insights into the things that hold importance for him, which extend beyond just the family who accompany him on a day out.
He even relies on placing his hands on his children’s backs for support when shortness of breath makes walking difficult. Sven shares: “Life is not 100%. I’ve had injections for many months, now they [doctors] change to taking pills.
“It is a lot of big effects on the throat and the nose, but that is part of it and I can live with that. I know life will not last forever. But I am OK.”
Due to his health, Sven couldn’t make it to London this week to promote his new film as originally planned. His children stood in for him at the premiere, and Lina discusses how this experience has brought them closer.
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With emotion evident in her voice, she says: “I think it has taken time to process and he has come a long way now than initially. It is only very recently that I have been able to reconnect with dad and to have a very different relationship than I had with him as a teenager. You realise the value of life. And that what you thought was important isn’t important. It’s hard to imagine a life without him.”
Reflecting on his past, Sven acknowledges he wasn’t the best father following his divorce from his wife Ann-Christine Pettersson in 1994, whom he married in 1977. However, he hopes that he did well by his children both before and after their separation.
Despite the grim outlook, his partner Yaniseth remains hopeful for a miracle. She expresses: “We have been together for 15 years and I’m hoping that we’ll be together for many more years to come. I’ll never lose this hope. I can’t.”
Sven opened up about the alarming events that led to his cancer diagnosis, revealing he felt “dizzy” one morning and was swiftly taken to hospital. His son Johan shared the tense moments: “I had 10 missed calls from my sister. Dad’s in the emergency room and he is not in a good way.”
Following an early end to his playing career at 27, Sven embarked on a managerial journey beginning with Degerfors, where he achieved promotion to the Swedish Football Division 2 in 1978. His career flourished further at IFK Goteborg, clinching their first Uefa Cup in 1982, and he enjoyed success at Benfica and Roma before taking the helm at other Italian clubs. In 2000, Sven made history as England’s first foreign manager.
Despite managing the “Golden Generation” of English talent like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, major tournament success eluded him. Nonetheless, there were unforgettable highlights, such as the stunning 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.
David Beckham expressed his admiration in the documentary: “I loved him from day one. The way he protected the players was a breath of fresh air. What he did for me was incredible.
Sven’s tenure with England concluded with a penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the 2006 World Cup. He remained active in football, managing various teams including Manchester City, until 2019.
In March, he realised a lifelong ambition by managing Liverpool in an Anfield legends match, where the Reds triumphed 4-2 over Ajax, earning him a standing ovation from the fans.
The Swede is also remembered for his colourful life off the pitch. During his England days, his partner was Italian Nancy Dell’Olio. The pair were together nearly a decade but their relationship nearly ended when he had a dalliance with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson.
Sven was also at the centre of headlines in 2004 when he was linked romantically to FA secretary Faria Alam. He made serious blunders with a financial adviser which set him back millions of pounds. But Sven shrugged it off stating he simply went and “earned more”.
Reflecting on his life, he tells the film: “It was like a fairy tale. It was not a normal life. I had a good life, maybe too good, you have to pay for it.”
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
