Sven-Goran Eriksson's final words published in newspaper column with family's permission

Sven-Goran Eriksson at Anfield. (Image: Getty Images)

In a final newspaper column published posthumously with his family's blessing, Sven-Goran Eriksson reminded everyone that "life is always, always to be celebrated".

The former England manager passed away in August at the age of 76. He had previously disclosed in January that he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was told he likely had less than a year to live.

Eriksson's funeral will take place on Friday in his childhood home of Torsby, a location he publicly described as a "great place" for his final resting place.

In an Amazon Prime documentary, Eriksson bid the public farewell, stating: "I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is."

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Now, in his last written message, he has invoked a story from Didi Hamann which many believe encapsulates him.

"The response from the public has been wonderful," Eriksson penned for The Telegraph, after the newspaper received permission from his family to publish the unfinished column. "It has given me energy and positivity. I have cried a lot over the past few months. They have been happy tears, mostly.

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"I would like people to remember me as a decent coach who tried to do his best. I hope they enjoyed me being their manager. My message to everyone would be: don't give up. Never give up.

"Do not give up, is my message for life," added Eriksson, who described his life as a "dream". "And please don't forget this: life is always, always to be celebrated."

The comment about celebrating life is a nod to former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann's tale, shared in the former Germany midfielder's book 'The Didi Man'. "One morning I was on a sun lounger by the pool when I saw Sven walking towards me carrying a silver tray with a bottle of champagne and two glasses on it," he wrote.

Liverpool Legends manager Sven-Goran Eriksson in March. (Image: PA)

"It was still only ten o'clock in the morning...Sven came over and put the champagne on the table next to me, then placed one glass in front of me and the other by his lounger. "I looked up and said, 'Boss, what are we celebrating?'

"He turned to me and smiled that gentle smile of his and took on the air of a Buddhist philosopher as he said: 'Life, Kaiser. ' Then after pausing for dramatic effect, 'We are celebrating...life'."

Christopher Jansson, of the Torsby funeral home looking after Eriksson's funeral, expects to see as many people outside the church as in it when the former England manager is laid to rest. The ceremony is expected to be the largest they have handled, but it comes amidst Eriksson's own desire to be given a send-off where he began his life.

A tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson at Wembley Stadium. (Image: Getty Images) Trending window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20240911.min.js" SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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A beautiful place, [it] makes you calm, makes me calm," he said in the documentary, before gesturing towards a lake. "Below the mountain [is] where my father grew up.

"If you look straight on, that's Torsby, where I grew up. I always thought great place, to sleep. The ashes could be thrown into the water here. It feels like home."

Sven-Goran Eriksson's final words published in newspaper column with family's permission

Sven-Goran Eriksson's final words published in newspaper column with family's permission

Sven-Goran Eriksson's final words published in newspaper column with family's permission

Sven-Goran Eriksson's final words published in newspaper column with family's permission

Sven-Goran Eriksson's final words published in newspaper column with family's permission