As the world bids farewell to football icon Sven-Goran Eriksson, his children, Johan and Lina, will be present to honor him in his native Sweden. Sven-Goran Eriksson passed away last month at the age of 76 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. In his final days, an emotional documentary captured Eriksson’s personal journey, revealing how his illness led to a poignant reconnection with his children.
In the documentary, titled Sven, Eriksson openly discussed the complexities of his relationships with his children. His marriage to Ann-Christine Pettersson and subsequent affair with Graziella Mancinelli had strained his family bonds. Reflecting on his past, Eriksson admitted, “Divorce makes you feel bad – and I did.” At that time I don’t think I was a great dad. But before that and after that I guess I was okay. It’s good to see that the children found the right way and have a good life. I am proud of them. Extremely proud.”
The documentary, which aired on Amazon, captured the poignant moments of Eriksson’s final days. Despite his illness, Eriksson showed immense bravery, even choosing to film his final goodbye alone, without a cameraman. His openness about his struggles left staff and viewers deeply moved.
Lina Eriksson spoke candidly about the difficulties of watching her father battle cancer. “He’s a very black-and-white person when it comes to how he’s feeling. Everything’s good, or it’s s**t,” she said. Lina shared that the physical decline was hard to witness, but the experience allowed her to reconnect with her father in a new and profound way. “It’s only very recently that I’ve been able to reconnect with Dad and to have a very different relationship with him than I had had as a teenager. You realize the value of life and that what you thought was important is really not that important.”
Lina also revealed that her father feared his treatment would halt due to side effects. “He really wants to continue with treatment to try and stop the growth of the cancer as much as possible. Any kind of side effect or challenge, he just tries to fight it because he’s so scared that they will stop the treatment for him.”
Johan Eriksson recounted the harrowing moment he learned of his father’s critical condition. “I had 10 missed calls from my sister, ‘Dad’s in the emergency room’. He’s not in a good way. You can kind of tell when the doctor’s in tears that… not good. Worst possible news.”
Earlier this year, Eriksson had shared that he had “at best a year” to live, given his terminal cancer diagnosis. Following his passing, Johan and Lina released a heartfelt statement: “Our father Sven-Goran Eriksson fell asleep peacefully in his home at Bjorkefors outside Sunne this morning. He has for a long time fought bravely with his illness, but now it has come to an end.”
The statement continued: “Our thoughts go out to Sven-Goran’s father Sven; his girlfriend Yaniseth and her son Alcides; his brother Lasse and wife Jumnong, as well as to all good friends and acquaintances in Sweden and around the world.”
They expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love Eriksson received from friends and football fans across Europe. “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. It was unforgettable for both him and us.”
The statement concluded with a reflection on Eriksson’s life and legacy: “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 Eriksson hope that their father’s memory will be cherished as a testament to his positive spirit, both in public and in private.
