PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Former soccer star David Beckham pays tribute to Sven-Göran “Svennis” Eriksson, who passed away on Monday after a long illness.
“Thank you for always being who you are, passionate, caring, calm and a true gentleman,” writes Beckham on Instagram.
In early June, the superstar visited the cancer patient Sven-Göran Erikssonwho was the national team captain of the English national football team during David Beckham’s heyday in the early 2000s.
“We laughed, we cried and we knew we were saying goodbye,” writes Beckham about the visit to Värmland, and continues:
“I will be forever grateful that you made me your captain, but I will forever hold these last memories of that day with you and your family. Thank you Sven, your last words to me were: it will be okay.”
The article continues below.
After Beckham’s visit last summer, “Svennis” told what the soccer star had brought as a gift to his former national team captain.
– He brought six liters of wine with dates that were important to me, Eriksson told P4 Värmland.
Among other things, there was wine from 1948 – the year Eriksson was born, 1982 when he won the Uefa Cup with IFK Göteborg, and 2000 when he won the Italian league with Lazio.
READ MORE: Sven-Göran Eriksson’s very last wish – the heartbreaking words touch everyone: “It feels like home”
Facts about Svennis
Born: 5 February 1948 in Sunne.
Death: August 26, 2024.
Profession: Soccer coach.
Clubs as players: Torsby, Sifhälla, Karlskoga.
Clubs as coaches: Degerfors (1977–1978), IFK Gothenburg (1979–1982), Benfica, Portugal (1982–1984), Roma, Italy (1984–1987), Fiorentina, Italy (1987–1989), Benfica (1989–1992), Sampdoria , Italy (1992–1997), Lazio (1997–2001), Manchester City, England (2007–2008), Notts County, England (Sporting Director 2009–2010), Leicester, England (2010–2011), Tero Sasana, Thailand ( sporting director 2012), al-Nasr, United Arab Emirates (technical advisor 2013), Guangzhou, China (2013–2014), Shanghai (2014–2016), Shenzhen, China (2016–2017), IF Karlstad (sporting advisor 2022-2023) .
Countries as confederation captains: England (2001–2006), Mexico (2008–2009), Ivory Coast (2010), Philippines (2019).
Main merits: Swedish champion, cup champion and Uefa cup champion with IFK Göteborg, league-. and cup champions with Benfica, cup champions with Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio. Italian champion and winner of the Cup Winners’ Cup with Lazio. Reached the quarter-finals with England in WC 2002, EC 2004 and in WC 2006.
Famous players he worked with (selection): Glenn Hysén, Glenn Strömberg, Torbjörn Nilsson, Jonas Thern, Stefan Schwarz, Mats Magnusson, Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Diego Simeone, Juan Sebastian Veron, Simone Inzaghi, Christian Vieri, Alessandro Nesta, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen.
Coaches he worked with (selection): Tord Grip, Gunder Bengtsson, Benny Lennartsson, Hasse Backe
Other: Was currently the Swedish national team captain in 2009. Recipient of TT’s leadership award in 1982, recipient of the Swedish Football Association and TV4 Football Channel’s honorary award in 2019, named Swede of the Year in the world in 2001.
Rest in peace, Svennis! 🌹
Sign up for our newsletter
Share