Sven-Goran Eriksson: Former England manager reveals terminal cancer diagnosis, 'best case' has a year to live
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Published 11/01/2024 at 09:35 GMT
Sven-Goran Eriksson has been given "maybe at best a year" to live after finding out he has terminal cancer. The former England boss revealed the news on a Swedish radio station, saying he isn't in any pain but that it isn't operable. Eriksson famously became England's first foreign manager when he led the Three Lions from 2001 to 2006, reaching three consecutive major quarter-finals in that time.
Former Lazio head coach Sven Goran Eriksson looks on during the Serie A football match between SS Lazio and AS Roma. Lazio won 1-0 over Roma.
Image credit: Getty Images
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed he has terminal cancer and has "maybe at best a year" to live.
The 75-year-old broke the news on Swedish radio station P1, saying he wasn't "in any major pain" but that his condition wasn't operable.
“Everyone can see that I have a disease that's not good, and everyone supposes that it's cancer, and it is. But I have to fight it as long as possible,” Eriksson said.
“I know that in the best case it's about a year, in the worst case even less. Or in the best case, I suppose even longer. I don't think the doctors I have can be totally sure, they can't put a day on it.
“It's better not to think about it. You have to trick your brain. I could go around thinking about that all the time and sit at home and be miserable and think I'm unlucky and so on. It's easy to end up in that position.
“But no, see the positive sides of things and don't bury yourself in setbacks, because this is the biggest setback of them all, of course.
“It just came from nothing. And that makes you shocked.
“I'm not in any major pain. But I've been diagnosed with a disease that you can slow down but you cannot operate. So it is what it is.”
Eriksson became England’s first foreign manager when he succeeded Peter Taylor in 2001. He was in charge until 2006 and led the Three Lions to three consecutive quarter-finals.
After retiring from playing the game in 1975 at the age of 27, he began his managerial career in Sweden before being appointed by Benfica following his UEFA Cup win with IFK Goteborg.
Eriksson led Benfica to back-to-back titles in the 1980s and went on to enjoy spells in Italy with Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio.
At Lazio, Eriksson won the domestic double to put himself on the FA’s radar and took the reins of the national side in January 2001.
That David Beckham free-kick ensured England qualified for the 2002 World Cup, Eriksson’s first major tournament in charge, where they were defeated by Brazil in the quarter-finals.
He led England to the last eight at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, only to lose to Portugal in penalty shootouts on both occasions.
After leaving the England role, he became Manchester City’s first manager from outside the United Kingdom in July 2007 but was sacked after just one season in charge.
From there, he returned to international football with Mexico and Ivory Coast before a brief stint at Leicester City and a four-year spell in China.
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