Sven-Göran Eriksson: 1948-2024

Eriksson managed the Foxes between October 2010 and October 2011, helping the Club to lay strong foundations for the greatest era in its history. The prestige and status which he brought to Leicester – as well as his easy, warm character – helped the Foxes to reconfigure their ambitions and build towards the magical successes which were to come.

The former England manager was always a popular figure with City supporters, having initially taken over with Leicester placed 22nd in the Championship and using his vast experience to oversee an instant improvement in form on Filbert Way. In the New Year of 2011, Leicester enjoyed seven wins in eight matches, propelling them up the league standings and into the promotion picture.

Eriksson’s time at Leicester City also saw a summer of extensive recruitment that brought the likes of Kasper Schmeichel, David Nugent and Paul Konchesky to the Football Club – all of whom would go on to be integral for seasons to come as the Foxes eventually achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2013/14.

Sven’s playing career was modest in comparison to his managerial achievements. He played as a right full-back for the Swedish lower league sides of Torsby IF between 1964 and 1971, SK Sifhãlle for the 1971/72 season, and KB Karlskoga in 1972/73, followed by a spell at Vãstra Frölunda IF before retiring due to injury in 1975.

A swift transition into coaching was to follow. After managing Degerfors IF in 1977/78, winning promotion to Sweden’s second tier in 1978, he moved to IFK Göteborg in January 1979. There, he won the Swedish Allsvenskan title, the Svenska Cupen twice and even lifted the UEFA Cup, beating Hamburger SV in the final. To this day, Göteborg remain the only club in the Nordic countries that has won one of the major UEFA competitions.

Benfica was Eriksson’s next move and he sealed the Portuguese Primeira Liga title in two successive years, together with the Taça de Portugal. He also led the Lisbon giants to the UEFA Cup Final. As Roma’s manager, meanwhile, between 1984 and 1987, he lifted the Coppa Italia.

Following a time at Fiorentina (1987-89), he moved back to Benfica, where he led his side to the European Cup Final, another Primeira Liga title and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. He also spent five years at Sampdoria (1992-1997), once again tasting glory in the Coppa Italia.

After reportedly turning down the chance to manage Blackburn Rovers, Sven next went to Lazio from 1997-2001. Managing the likes of Roberto Mancini, Pavel Nedvěd, Alessandro Nesta and Diego Simeone, he won the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia twice, the Supercoppa Italiana twice, the European Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. His four years there truly saw Eriksson earn a reputation as one of the most respected and successful managers in world football.

In the early 21st century, Eriksson’s stock ultimately opened the door to become England’s first-ever foreign manager in 2001, replacing Kevin Keegan. Early on during his tenure at Wembley Stadium, Sven helped his former Lazio midfielder Mancini to fulfil his dream of playing in English football at the end of his playing career. He was the link between Mancini and then-Leicester City Manager Peter Taylor – who also managed England at youth level. The Italian great would enjoy a short loan spell at Filbert Street before embarking on his own managerial career further afield.

Sven helped the Three Lions qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, also famously beating Germany 5-1 in Munich. A much-celebrated group-stage victory over Argentina elevated hopes back home, but England were ultimately beaten by eventual world champions Brazil in the quarter-finals stage. Another last-eight exit at UEFA EURO 2004 – thanks to a penalty shootout defeat by Portugal – halted Eriksson’s bid to end the Three Lions’ wait for a trophy. Bad luck with injuries and a lack of discipline from players at crucial moments in games would haunt England during this time.

The 2006 World Cup would prove to be Sven’s last tournament with England, as Portugal again blocked their route to the semi-finals on penalties. By the time he left the England post in 2006, at the peak of the country’s so-labelled ‘Golden Generation’, he had taken the England from 17th to fifth in the FIFA World Rankings. While there was initially some criticism of Sven’s tenure in charge of England, history has been kinder to the Swede, with the national side going on to take 12 years to better his record at any major tournament.

Spells as manager of Manchester City for a season and of the Mexico national side followed, before he became director of football at League 2 side Notts County. Seven months later, in February 2010, he resigned, as the promised finance never materialised.  

A brief period as manager of Ivory Coast for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa followed, before he was announced as Leicester City’s new manager on 3 October, 2010.

After his spell in the East Midlands, Sven became technical director at Thai Premier League side BEC Tero Sasana in 2012 and at Al-Nasr in Dubai in 2013. He then moved to the Chinese Super League, becoming head coach first at Ghangzhou RF, and then at Shanghai SIPG. A spell at China League 1 side Shenzhen followed.  

His next post was to prepare the Philippines national side for the AFC Asian Cup in 2019. After an unsuccessful tournament, he relinquished his post as head coach but continued as a consultant to the team. Between February and December 2022, Sven was the adviser to IF Karlstadt and became the club’s sporting director in February 2023. A year later, however, he announced that he was receiving treatment for terminal cancer.

Sven will be remembered for the many successes in his career and all at Leicester City continue to look back with warmth and fondness at his time in charge of the Foxes. The thoughts of all at the Club are with Sven’s family and his friends at this sad time.