11 January 2024 , 12:12
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Sven-Goran Eriksson's life off-pitch has always been a hot topic with his romances and family in the spotlight during his time as the Three Lions boss.
The former England and Manchester City manager, 75, has revealed today that he's been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has, at best, a year left to live. Sven 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."
There is no doubt Sven will be supported by his family and loved ones, though it is unclear whether the Swedish boss currently has a romantic partner. Over the years, he's made headlines for his high-profile romances and discussions about starting a family with his ex-girlfriend, Nancy Dell'Olio, including a sad miscarriage and plans for adoption.
Sven and his long-term girlfriend Nancy Dell'Olio were together for around a decade (PA)
Nancy spoke out about her miscarriage and plans to adopt children while she was with Sven (Rex)Before he rose to fame as a sporting manager, Sven married Ann-Christine Pettersson in 1977 and they went on to have two children together, a son named Johan in 1979 and a daughter called Lina in 1987, who have stayed out of the public eye. The couple were together for almost two decades before they filed for divorce in 1994, and Sven later said their relationship ended after he had an affair with Graziella Mancinelli. Ann-Christine has remained largely out of the spotlight and very little is known about her.
Four years after his split, Sven was introduced to Italian lawyer Nancy Dell'Olio and they started dating. But things changed when he moved to London for his England job, and he embarked on an infamous affair with model and TV presenter, Ulrika Jonsson, at the start of 2002. Nancy briefly dumped Sven before taking him back, but just two years later, he was caught up in another love triangle with Football Association secretary, Faria Alam. Nancy ended things for good in 2007.
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In 2004, Nancy spoke about her plans to adopt children with Sven, but the football boss claimed the first time he'd heard about it was when he read the interview in the paper. "It could be the time to have children now, I'm more prepared," Nancy said. "I'm sure it can be the most incredible thing to have kids. But I'm thinking of adopting. Because so many children have no parents."
A source close to Sven spoke out after and said: "For most men, hearing they are about to adopt a child through the pages of a newspaper would be a bit of a shock. He said they had certainly not talked about it, but he just shrugged his shoulders. In his mind, it is just another example of how Nancy lives in a dream world." A spokesperson for Nancy backtracked and said it was "just an off-the-cuff remark".
Nancy later disclosed that she had suffered a miscarriage with Sven's baby. During an interview with the London Evening Standard, she opened up about falling pregnant. Nancy said: "I've been up and down about the idea of children. Actually, it happened a few years ago but I lost the baby, so it's in God's hands - things are as they are. Maybe it will happen but I'm unsure. I'd be afraid of getting too obsessed. I'm such a possessive person and I fear I'd be that way with a child."