David Beckham joined mourners at the funeral of former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson in his home town of Torsby in Sweden to hear tributes to a “genuinely kind” man who “loved good food and drink and travelling first-class”.
Addressing full pews in the Fryksände church, and hundreds more watching outside on a big screen, the priest, a close friend of Eriksson, Ingela Alvskog, spoke of a final months that had been “full of life” despite him being diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas.
Eriksson, who died at the age of 76, had left “so many beautiful memories” and had “brought so much joy” and “a lot of laughter” to the lives to his friends and family, including his 95-year-old father, Sven, his children, Johan and Lina, and partner, Yaniseth Alcides, she said.
Beckham, 49, who was captain of England during the Swede’s five tumultuous years in charge of the national team, hugged Eriksson’s former partner Nancy Dell’Olio as they attended the church before eulogies by nearby Lake Fryken.
The hour-long church service, which switched between English and Swedish, included renditions of Elton John’s Candle in the Wind and Frank Sinatra’s My Way, and heard of Eriksson’s love of routine and discipline as well as the high life.
Eriksson, who led England to three major tournament quarter-finals between 2001 and 2006 after securing the Italian club Lazio their first Serie A title in 26 years, would often choose to wear a suit as a teenager but was also known to post a sign on his bedroom door saying “no entry – homework in progress”, to give himself extra time to read detective novels in bed.
There was also a reference to Eriksson’s realisation of a lifelong dream in the final months of his life to manage Liverpool, which he did in a charity match in March when he took charge of a “legends” side at Anfield.
His feelings for Liverpool were commemorated by a local brass band playing You’ll Never Walk Alone as the hearse made its way out of the grounds after the ceremony.
Also among those attending was Roy Hodgson, who managed England six years after Eriksson’s resignation, along with members of Sweden’s royal family.
Before the speeches by Lake Fryken, Beckham, who had visited Eriksson a few weeks before his death, walked with the family before gently laying his hand on his former manager’s coffin.
Eriksson’s son, Johan, 45, described the lake as his father’s “corner of the world”. “The peace, the calmness formed a big part of his character,” he said. Eriksson’s daughter, Lina, 37, said that her father had wanted a funeral “full of joy, music and happiness”. She added: “In Dad’s own words, ‘Don’t be sorry, smile, take of yourself and take care of your life and live it because life is beautiful.’”
