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Sven-Goran Eriksson’s goodbye message, what he wants people to remember about him?

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Sven-Goran Eriksson has shared a heartfelt farewell as he approaches the end of his battle with terminal illness. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January and given a prognosis of no more than “a year to live,” Eriksson has embarked on an emotional farewell tour, revisiting the stadiums of his former teams including Lazio, Benfica, and Sampdoria. He also fulfilled a lifelong dream by managing Liverpool in a legends match against Ajax this March.

In a new Amazon Prime documentary titled ‘Sven,’ the 76-year-old urged fans to focus on positivity and “smile” rather than feel sorry for him. Reflecting on his life, Eriksson said, “I had a good life, yes. We all fear the end, but life includes death as well. You must learn to accept it.”

Regarding his legacy, he expressed a hope that people would remember him as a positive individual who did his best. “Don’t be sad. Smile. Thank you to everyone—coaches, players, fans. It’s been fantastic. Take care of yourselves, live your lives. Goodbye.”

Eriksson, who became England’s first foreign manager in 2001, led the team for five years, including managing a squad of notable players like Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. Despite his time with what was known as the ‘Golden Generation,’ his tenure was marked by repeated quarter-final exits in major tournaments.

Eriksson’s personal life, including high-profile relationships and affairs, was frequently covered in the tabloids. Reflecting on these, he admitted to being “stupid” but insisted nothing illegal occurred. “Sex is one of the good things in life,” he remarked. “I had a good life, maybe too good. You have to pay for it.”

Beyond his time with England, Eriksson managed Manchester City, Leicester City, and briefly served as director of football at Notts County. His extensive coaching career included notable roles at clubs such as Benfica, Lazio, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, and IFK Goteborg. He also managed the national teams of Mexico, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines, with the latter being his final role in football before retiring in 2019.