PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Together they wrote the book “A wonderful journey”. But Sven-Göran Eriksson never got to see the book in print.
– Everything took a different turn with the disease, of course, says author and childhood friend Bengt Berg.
On Friday, “Svennis” will be buried in Fryksände church in Torsby.
Svenni’s childhood friend
Bengt Bergwho will deliver a memorial speech after the funeral, remembers a popular man who never lost sight of his Värmland background – but who also dared to take turns.
– He wasn’t ashamed that he was successful, but still it didn’t go to his head. And he always saw the beauty in life, he says.
They both met in Torsby as young people. Bengt Berg and Sven-Göran Eriksson had the sport in common and became friends.
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In adulthood, contact was sporadic, but when “Svennis” moved home to Värmland, they started seeing each other at his farm to drink coffee.
Watched the Olympic final together
Moments that would later result in the book “A wonderful journey” which will be released on September 23.
– We started our sessions with coffee and talk about football, life, our shared childhood, little Torsby and the forest. But it became a very strange situation when the disease was discovered so clearly, says Bengt Berg.
READ MORE: New details of “Svenni’s” funeral revealed – how the world says goodbye to the magnificent coach: “It’s unique”
The last time he was at Sven-Göran Eriksson’s house was this summer to watch the Olympic table tennis final between Truls Möregårdh and Damn Zhendong.
– He was lying in bed and watching. He had been ill for a long time, but then he was much weaker than before. Then you felt it was close, says Bengt Berg.
Did you talk about death?
– We did that. He was very clear-sighted but never pitied his fate. I said that if you imagine a soccer game that never ends, it would be totally pointless. Perhaps to some extent the value of our lives consists in the fact that it is not forever. He received that image with a smile.
“He read the text”
He got a lot of love at the end. What did he say about it?
– He thought it was fantastic and he got energy from it. It’s almost like attending your own funeral, says Bengt Berg.
Sven-Göran Eriksson passed away on August 26 – just under a month before the new book was to be released.
– At least he had time to read the text before it was sent to the publisher for editing. It felt good. But of course it would have been nicer if he had been able to be there when the book itself dimmed down. But it didn’t turn out that way, says Bengt Berg.
Rest in peace, Svennis! 🌹
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