STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who coached England from 2001 to 2006, died Monday at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his agent said.

“He passed away peacefully this morning with his family around him at his home,” Eriksson’s agent Bo Gustavsson told AFP.

The Swede, who managed a number of high-profile teams and took England to World Cup quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006, announced in February 2023 that he was stepping back from public life due to “health issues”.

In January, he told public broadcaster Sveriges Radio that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and that his doctor’s assessment was that he had “at best maybe a year (to live), at worst a little less”.

“We have known about this but it happened very quickly. We were not prepared for it to happen today,” Gustavsson told AFP.

Born on February 5, 1948 in Sunne in western Sweden, Eriksson, who goes by “Svennis” to Swedes, found success as a football manager after retiring from a modest career as a defender.

In 1977, he became manager of Swedish club Degerfors IF. After leading the small club to success in lower divisions, he attracted the attention of bigger clubs.

– ‘Thank you for everything’ –
He went on to manage Sweden’s IFK Goteborg before finding success internationally, managing Benfica in Portugal, as well as several Italian teams including Roma and Lazio.

“Thank you for everything you have done for us, coach,” his former club Lazio said in a post to social media.

His most high-profile position was as the first foreigner to manage England’s national squad.

During his spell, he took England to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, where they were knocked out by Brazil.

They also made the last eight four years later where Portugal came out on top in a penalty shoot-out in a game where Wayne Rooney was sent off after a clash with his then Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Eriksson led England to the last eight of the 2004 Euros where Portugal also knocked them out in another penalty shoot-out.

He left the England job in 2006 after five years in charge.

– ‘Special memories’ –
His time in the hotseat had seen a memorable 5-1 win over Germany in a World Cup qualifier but also controversy over his personal life, including an affair with television presenter Ulrika Jonsson.

“This is a very sad day. He gave all England fans such special memories,” Mark Bullingham, CEO of England’s Football Association, said in a statement.

“Sven will be rightly recognised and forever remembered for his significant work with the England team, and for his wider contribution to the game,” Bullingham continued.

England’s Prince William, who said he met Eriksson several times while president of the English Football Association, said he “was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game”.

“My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game,” the prince said in a post to X.

Eriksson went on to manage Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines, but never his native Sweden’s national squad.

In March, Eriksson fulfilled what he said had been a life-long dream of managing English football club Liverpool.

Alongside former Liverpool favourites Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge in the home dug-out, he managed Liverpool Legends in a charity match against Ajax Legends, overseeing a 4-2 win for his team.

Eriksson said afterwards he had shed tears before kick-off, when he received a standing ovation from the crowd as he walked out onto the pitch, with fans singing the Liverpool anthem of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

“That will be a huge memory in life,” said Eriksson said. “Absolutely beautiful.”