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Sven-Goran Eriksson: Former England manager reveals cancer diagnosis and has ‘a year to live’

Sven-Goran Eriksson: Former England manager reveals cancer diagnosis and has 'a year to live'

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed he has terminal cancer.

Eriksson, 75, told a Swedish radio station he has “at best a year to live”.

“Everyone understands that I have an illness that is not good. Everyone guesses it’s cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can,” he told P1.

When asked about the condition, the Swedish native said he has “maybe at best a year, at worst even less. Or in the best case I suppose even longer. I don’t think the doctors I have can be totally sure, they can’t put a day on it.”

He added: “It’s better not to think about it. You have to trick your brain. I could go around thinking about that all the time and sit at home and be miserable and think I’m unlucky and so on.

“It’s easy to end up in that position. But no, see the positive sides of things and don’t bury yourself in setbacks, because this is the biggest setback of them all of course.”

Between 2001 and 2006, Eriksson coached the so-called “golden generation” of footballers in the England team including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

Image:
Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2004. Pic: AP

He led England to three consecutive quarter-finals at major tournaments, and was manager in one of their most famous results, a 5-1 win over Germany in Munich in September 2001.

Eriksson resigned as sporting director at Swedish club Karistad Football 11 months ago due to health issues.