11 January 2024 , 11:26
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Sven-Goran Eriksson will no doubt leave a lasting legacy in football as he tragically announces he has a year to live.
The ex-England manager today left fans devastated as he revealed he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer after he collapsed while out on a run last year. The 75-year-old told Sweden's P1 radio station: "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."
Eriksson has enjoyed a glittering managerial career with the likes of Roma, Manchester City and Mexico. But it was when he took charge of England that the Swedish boss was propelled to managerial stardom.
Whilst at the top of his game, his life off the pitch became just as famous, with a string of affairs attached to his name. Here, we take a look at his relationships, net worth, and terrible diagnosis...
Terminal diagnosis
Sven-Goran Eriksson has been diagnosed with terminal cancer (Getty Images)Sven's tragic diagnosis was made last year when doctors looked into why he collapsed whilst out on a run. They soon discovered he was seriously ill and gave him a devastating terminal diagnosis. The star has not confirmed which type of cancer it was before progressing to end-stage.
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When asked what his prognosis is, he told the Swedish radio station that he has "maybe at best a year, at worst a little less, or at best maybe even longer. You can't be absolutely sure. It is better not to think about it".
Speculation about his health grew after he resigned from his post as sporting director of Karlstad in his home country. The full diagnosis was made after he suddenly collapsed while out on a 5km run, with doctors also finding he had suffered a stroke.
He added: "It is not good. Everyone guessed it's cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can. But you can trick your brain. See the positive in things, don't wallow in adversity, because this is the biggest adversity of course, but make something good out of it. They don't know how long I had cancer, maybe a month or a year."
Relationships
Sven Goran Eriksson and his partner Nancy Dell'Olio in 2003 (PA)
The Italian stuck by him throughout his affairs before they parted ways for good in 2007 (Getty Images)No doubt Eriksson will be supported by his loved ones, including his two children, however it is unclear whether Sven has a current partner. Years earlier at the height of his career as a coach, his love life also took centre stage, with several high-profile affairs publicised.
Before becoming a major sporting name, Sven married Ann-Christine Pettersson, whom he shares two children with, in July 1977. They filed for divorce in 1994.
Four years later, Italian lawyer Nancy Dell'Olio, 62, was introduced to the coach three years before he got the job as England manager. But things changed once he moved to London for his new gig, and he embarked on an infamous affair with model and TV presenter, Ulrika Jonsson, at the start of 2002.
Nancy initially rubbished the rumours, insisting the pair were "more united" than ever. "We have spoken a lot over the last few days and there has been a lot of rubbish written. Sven will speak and dismiss it all," she said, adding: "It is all a publicity attempt by her."
The two women became embroiled in a public spat, with Ulrika responding: "Sven is behaving like a lying cad. He promised me it was over with Nancy but then takes her out to dinner and doesn't even call me."
Ulrika's nanny even claimed she'd caught the pair in bed together and Sven eventually confessed, writing in his 2013 memoir: "It was not until we met at some kind of a function in Manchester that anything romantic occurred. I was there with some people from the FA. For some reason, Ulrika was also invited. We met at the hotel the evening before and ended up spending the night together.
"Ulrika said she was writing a book about her life. 'Don't worry, Sven,' she said. 'You won't be in it. After that, Ulrika and I met when we could. Not daily, but now and then. It got to be more and more serious. Nancy did not suspect anything. She was travelling to Italy a lot during that time."
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He added that he would meet Ulrika at her home and said he "did not feel I had anything to apologise for." The affair lasted for four months, with Ulrika brutally comparing their love-making to 'an Ikea instruction manual'.
As for Nancy, she briefly dumped Sven before taking him back. But just two years later, he was caught up in another love triangle, this time with Football Association secretary, Faria Alam, 57, who, in a soap opera-style twist, also had an affair with the Football Association CEO Mark Palios.
Ulrika claimed sex with Erikkson was as exciting as building IKEA furniture (WireImage)
He had an affair with Faria in 2004 (Getty Images)One of the Swede's other mistresses was millionairess Marisa Cauchi, who enjoyed a relationship with the ex-Manchester City boss for four years. She ended it when she found out she was one of five other women in a harem.
"I was with Sven for four years and he broke my heart. He told me he loved me and promised we'd come out as a couple. In reality he was keeping me a secret so he could romance other women," she told the Mirror.
Eriksson also revealed in his 2013 autobiography that he once slept with a married woman on her sofa when her husband came home and caught them. The revelation was eventually cut from the final draft, but the memo didn't get to publishers in Norway who released the uncensored version.
"We soon found ourselves naked on the sofa," wrote Eriksson. "She had not said anything about having a husband, but suddenly the door opened and there was a big man who said: 'Who the hell are you?' I said: 'I better leave,' and he replied: 'I think it's probably for the best'."
He eventually split from Dell'Olio in August 2007, with Eriksson later revealing he was not prepared for the public scrutiny of his relationships. "I thought I was prepared for England but I was not prepared for things outside football, my private life.
"I am not very proud that fans could probably name three of my former girlfriends," he told the History Channel. "I don't think it damaged my football results. But my image outside football it damaged, yes. My private life was not very private in England.
"In 2002, when it came out about a woman, well a Swedish one (Jonsson) I wondered what I should tell the players. It had nothing to do with football. But I was their manager and we were going into a World Cup. I told them 'sorry' but one of the players stood up and said: 'Boss, welcome to England.' That was it. I felt good. It was over."
Net worth
David Beckham and Sven Goran Eriksson in after the World Cup 2006 quarter-final match (Claudio Villa)Sven took over from Kevin Keegan in 2001 as England boss, leading the Three Lions to the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup, as well as the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.
During his five-year spell, Eriksson was in charge of the so-called 'Golden Generation', though failed to win any silverware with them. He did take charge of the legendary 5-1 win over Germany, as well as several other stand-out games, though failed to deliver on the team's expectations.
Later in life, he took on lucrative roles in China, including a £15 million contract with Shanghai. Thanks to his stellar career, spanning four decades, Sven has been able to live a more than comfortable life, currently residing in his luxurious lakeside Swedish mansion.
Whilst living in London, he and Nancy resided in a four-bedroom house on Park Village East, north London, which was reportedly sold for £4,350,000 in 2003. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the 75-year-old is reportedly worth $35million (£27.5m).