Sven-Göran Erikssons will be buried on 13 September.
The trainer icon had clear wishes for how it should look – and that says everything about how “Svennis” was as a person.
– It was his will, says agent Bo Gustavsson.
It was in January earlier this year that Sven-Göran Eriksson movingly told about his cancer diagnosis. “Svennis” told us that the doctors gave him at best a year to live, and during the year he has received accolades both in Sweden and abroad.
The details of the funeral
Sven-Göran Eriksson was 76 years old and will always be remembered as one of Swedish sports’ greatest leaders, and Swedish football’s greatest coach ever. He led IFK Göteborg to a historic European title, and then went on to win titles in Portugal and Italy before becoming the first ever foreigner to captain the English national team.
Sven-Göran Eriksson was a key factor in the careers of icons such as David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, and when he is buried on September 13, in Fryksände church in Torsby where he grew up, many international football profiles will be present. But there will also be a lot of “ordinary people” on site, and Sven-Göran Eriksson was careful to point out what was important to him.
“It was his will”
Agent Bo Gustavsson now confirms to SVT that one of Svenni’s wishes was that as many people living in Torsby would be accommodated.
– Torsby residents and Värmlanders, not some VIP event, that was his will. The church holds 600 people, so the idea is that we reserve 100 seats and then it will be open to walk-in only. If people cannot be accommodated, the church must set up a screen outside, says Bo Gustavsson to SVT.
Gustavsson also says that Sven-Göran Eriksson was greatly inspired by a funeral he saw in Italy.
– When “Svennis” was in Sampdoria, the president died there and his funeral was something he was impressed by. It was happy, New Orleans jazz was playing and there were a lot of people along the streets. He wanted something similar, says the agent.
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