Nancy Dell'Olio breaks silence on ex-lover Sven-Goran Erkinson's terminal cancer
Ex England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson's former lover Nancy Dell'Olio has broken her silence on his terminal cancer diagnosis, calling it "devastating".
Earlier this week, Sven, 75, disclosed that doctors fear he has at best a year to live or a little less in the worse case scenario. The diagnosis was made last year after he collapsed while out on a run, with doctors discovering he is seriously ill.
Lawyer Nancy, 62, who enjoyed a relationship with Sven for over a decade, said she "knew he was ill" but had no idea about his devastating terminal condition. Nancy, who left her former husband Giancarlo Massa to be with Sven said: "I didn't think 2024 would open with more bad news. I knew that Sven was ill, but it hurts so much to hear this.
Nancy Dell'Olio and Sven Goran Eriksson dated for ten years (Jamie Tregidgo/WireImage)
Nancy says she's deeply saddened after hearing of Sven's terminal cancer diagnosis (Dave Benett/Getty Images)"It's a really negative moment. In September my mother died and I can't get over this loss. It's like having an open wound that instead of healing keeps getting worse. Sven's announcement was devastating. I knew he wasn't well, but hearing his words really [hurt]. Life can be cruel," she told Mail Online.
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." When asked what the prognosis is, he replied 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".
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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."
Sven was also famous for his love life, having relationships with Nancy, Ulrika Jonsson and Faria Alam. He eventually split from the former in August 2007, later revealing he was not prepared for the scrutiny over his private life.
“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 (Ulrika), 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 players stood up and said: ‘Boss, welcome to England’. That was it. I felt good. It was over.”
For more information or support about cancer, you can contact Macmillan Cancer Support.
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