David Beckham will be joined by his wife Victoria at the funeral of former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, with the couple set to land in Sweden by private jet on Thursday, according to a report.
Eriksson passed away on August 26 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, with countless tributes since paid to the Swede, including football clubs across the world giving their respects.
The former England manager revealed in January that he had ‘best case a year’ to live following his diagnosis, and he was surrounded by his family as he passed away a little over a two weeks ago.
Wembley paid tribute to the ex-Three Lions boss when the side faced Finland on Tuesday night. A tribute video was shown on the big screens as fans in attendance for the Nations League clash took part in a minute’s applause.
Eriksson, who died at the age of 76, will be buried in Torsby where he grew up on Friday but the ceremony is set to be very different from a traditional funeral in the area.
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David and Victoria Beckham will reportedly fly into Sweden by private jet on Thursday to attend the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson
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Sven-Goran Eriksson died aged 76 on August 26 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer
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He led England in three major tournaments with Beckham captaining a star-studded outfit
Swedish outlet Expressen quote Eriksson’s agent Bo Gustavsson as saying that the former Lazio and Sampdoria manager wanted an Italian-style funeral.
The report claims that Eriksson’s experience at the funeral of Samp president Paolo Mantovani, who died during his time with the club between 1992 and 1997, impressed him.
‘New Orleans jazz was playing and there were a lot of people along the streets. He wanted something similar.’ Gustavsson said. ‘And so it will be tomorrow.’
Some 600 people are expected to be present at the Fryksande church on Friday, with many expected to be famous faces. Secrecy surrounds the identity of most of the attendees, though plenty of Eriksson’s former players and colleagues would be expected to be on the guest list.
Mourners unable to be in the church will be able to watch the proceedings on large screens outside the church.
‘I think there will probably be as many standing outside the church as there will be inside. Sven was so popular.’ Funeral adviser Christopher Jansson told The Mirror.
Eriksson became the first foreign boss of the England national team in 2001, taking charge of 67 matches until 2006. He directed the talented squad to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and at the 2004 European Championships.
‘Svennis’, as he was known in Sweden, led a ‘golden generation’ of players including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.
‘Thank you, Sven’: Beckham’s emotional tribute for ex-England boss
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The football world will wave goodbye to Eriksson, who was 76 when he died, on September 13
Eriksson’s tenure was remembered almost as much for what happened off the field as on it after romances with Italian lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio, Swedish TV host Ulrika Jonsson and former FA secretary Faria Alam during his time as England coach.
He also managed Swedish, Portuguese and Italian clubs, winning major trophies in the 1980s and 90s before taking on the England job.
After leaving England in 2006, he returned to the World Cup with Ivory Coast in 2010 and also had spells in charge of Manchester City and Leicester during a lengthy career.
