Tributes are pouring in for Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who passed away at 76 on Monday after battling pancreatic cancer.
Eriksson, known for his charismatic leadership, took charge of the Ivory Coast national team in 2010, guiding them to a third-place finish in a challenging World Cup group before stepping down.
Throughout his illustrious career, Eriksson managed several top-tier teams and made history in 2001 as the first foreign manager of England’s men’s football team. He coached England’s “golden generation,” including stars like David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, and Frank Lampard.
Among those paying tribute are Prince William, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the chief executive of the Football Association, and many clubs and players.
After leaving England post-2006 World Cup, Eriksson went on to manage Ivory Coast, Mexico, and English clubs like Manchester City.
Following his cancer diagnosis in January, Eriksson fulfilled a lifelong dream by managing Liverpool’s Legends team in a charity match at Anfield in March, which he described as “absolutely beautiful.”
In a statement on Monday, Eriksson’s children expressed their hope that people would remember their father as the “good and positive person he always was,” both publicly and privately.