Poignant footage shows Sven-Goran Eriksson being supported by his family during a walk through a forest where he wanted his ashes to be scattered.
The former England football manager died yesterday aged 76 after becoming terminally ill with pancreatic cancer.
Before his death he filmed a documentary with Amazon Prime in which he ruminated on his long career and discussed he was coping with his illness.
In one clip shared days ago, Eriksson is seen walking through a peaceful woodland, with his relatives helping him along.
A young girl gives him something to eat, prompting him to tell her: ‘Oh, very nice, thank you.’
In a clip shared days ago, Eriksson is seen walking through a peaceful woodland, with his relatives helping him along
Before his death he filmed a documentary with Amazon Prime in which he ruminated on his long career and discussed he was coping with his illness
The moving clip also shows Eriksson discussing life with cancer, including the side effects of some of his medication.
‘Life is not 100 per cent. I’ve had injections for many months, now I’ve changed to taking pills,’ he says.
‘There’s a lot of big effects coming in the throat and nose and things like that but that’s part of it and I can live with that.’
Another video shows Eriksson sitting beside the ‘calming’ Swedish lake house where he said he wished for his ashes to be scattered.
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Visiting the Lake Fryken, close to where he was born in Sunne, he says in the documentary: ‘Beautiful place. It makes you calm. Makes me calm.
Pointing ahead, he says: ‘The mountain, below that mountain is where my father grew up.
‘And if you look straight on, that’s Torsby, where I grew up, and Sunne where I was born. I always thought great place to sleep.’
Eriksson had two children, Lina and Johan, with his wife Ann-Christine Pettersson before their divorce in 1994.
In the Amazon documentary, Lina talks about how she came to terms with the news her father had incurable pancreatic cancer.
‘We found out that he had had five strokes and then you go into a state of fear. A panic mode,’ she says.
The siblings issued a joint statement shortly after their father’s death was announced.
‘Our father Sven-Göran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Björkefors outside Sunne this morning,’ it read.
His children Lina and Johan (pictured in Stockholm in June 2014) have paid tribute to their ‘brave’ father and thanked all those who created ‘positive memories’ with him during his illness
Sven-Goran Eriksson with his wife Ann-Christine Pettersson and their children Johan and Lina
‘He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness, but now it came to an end.
‘Our thoughts go out to Sven-Göran’s father Sven; girlfriend Yaniseth and her son Alcides; to his brother Lasse and wife Jumnong, as well as to all good friends and acquaintances in Sweden and around the world.’
They added: ‘Dad told us at the beginning of this year about his serious illness and received an amazing response from friends and football fans around Europe.
‘He was invited to several football teams in England, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. They shared their love for football and for dad.
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‘It was unforgettable for both him and us. He expressed his appreciation and joy and stated that such beautiful words are usually only uttered when someone has died.
”I get to hear it while I’m alive and I’m incredibly grateful for that. The heart beats twice and the tears come. I have had the best job in the world and I was happy every day for long periods. It’s been fantastic,’ he said.’
Lina and Johan expressed their gratitude for the ‘wonderful meetings between him, football and all his friends’.
‘We thank everyone for these positive memories and your support during his illness,’ their statement continued.
Lina and Johan expressed their gratitude for the ‘wonderful meetings between him, football and all his friends’.
‘We thank everyone for these positive memories and your support during his illness,’ their statement continued.
‘We hope that you will remember Svennis as the good and positive person he always was both in public and at home with us.’
The former England football manager died yesterday aged 76 after becoming terminally ill with pancreatic cancer
Bo Gustavsson, an agent in Sweden who worked with Eriksson, shared news of the former England manager’s death.
‘After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family,’ he said in a statement issued today.
‘The closest mourners are daughter Lina; son Johan with wife Amana and granddaughter Sky; father Sven; girlfriend Yanisette with son Alcides; brother Lars-Erik with wife Jumnong.
‘The family asks for respect for their wish to mourn in private and not be contacted. Condolences and greetings can be left on the website www.svengoraneriksson.com.’
