Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson told a Swedish radio station he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and said he has about one year to live.
Speculation about Eriksson's health, who was manager of England for five years from 2001 to 2006 and has managed a host of top European clubs, has heightened in recent months.
He stood down from his most recent role as sporting director at Swedish club Karlstad 11 months ago due to health issues.
The 75-year-old told Swedish Radio P1: “Everyone can see that I have a disease that’s not good, and everyone supposes that it’s cancer, and it is. But I have to fight it as long as possible.
“I know that in the best case it’s about a year, in the worst case even less. Or in the best case I suppose even longer. I don’t think the doctors I have can be totally sure, they can’t put a day on it.
“It’s better not to think about it. You have to trick your brain. I could go around thinking about that all the time and sit at home and be miserable and think I’m unlucky and so on.
“It’s easy to end up in that position. But no, see the positive sides of things and don’t bury yourself in setbacks, because this is the biggest setback of them all, of course.”
The former Lazio and Benfica coach told the station that he had suddenly collapsed while going for a 5km run.
After seeing his doctors, it turned out that Eriksson had suffered a stroke and also had cancer.
Eriksson presided over England's supposed "golden generation" of players including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard, but the Three Lions persistently fell short at major tournaments.
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Sven-Goran Eriksson presided over England's supposed "golden generation" of players including David Beckham, left, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard, right, but the Three Lions persistently fell short at major tournaments. Getty -
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, second left, told a Swedish radio station he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and said he has about one year to live. Getty -
File photo dated 01/06/06 of Sven-Goran Eriksson and England captain David Beckham. The Swede managed England for five years before leaving after the 2006 World Cup. PA -
England midfielder Steven Gerrard talks tactics with manager Sven-Goran Eriksson during the 2006 World Cup quarter-final against Portugal at the Stadium Gelsenkirchen on July 1, 2006 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Getty -
Sven-Goran Eriksson coached the Philippines during the 2019 Asian Cup held in the UAE. Getty -
Sven-Goran Eriksson is presented a football jersey by Ahmed Hashim Khoory, senior vice president at Emirates Airline, at a press conference announcing him as Al Nasr's technical director in February 2013. Charles Crowell for The National -
Sven-Goran Eriksson was briefly technical director at UAE top-flight club Al Nasr but left his post in June 2013 only four months into an 18-month contract. -
England captain David Beckham waves as he and coach Sven-Goran Eriksson board their plane at Luton Airport as the England World Cup squad depart for Germany to prepare for the World Cup on June 5, 2006 in Luton, England. Getty -
Sven-Goran Eriksson managed Premier League club Manchester City during the 2007/08 season, finishing ninth, before parting ways with the club in June 2008 just weeks before the Abu Dhabi-backed City Football Group takeover. PA -
Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson speaks to Martin Petrov during a Premiership match against Manchester United at the City of Manchester Stadium on August 19, 2007 in Manchester, England. Getty -
From left: England's Darius Vassell, Wes Brown, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Teddy Sheringham, Trevor Sinclair, Michael Owen, David Beckham and Paul Scholes look dejected after defeat to Brazil at the 2002 World Cup on all look shattered at the end of the game, 21 June, 2002. Getty -
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson consoles goalkeeper David Seaman after the final whistle of England's quarter-final defeat to Brazil at the Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa in Shizuoka, Japan on June 21, 2002. Brazil won the match 2-1. Getty -
Sven-Goran Eriksson during his time as coach of Italian club Lazio. Allsport -
Attilio Lombardo of Lazio speaks with coach Sven-Goran Eriksson during the Italian Serie A match against AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico, in Rome, Italy on 18 November, 2000. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Allsport -
Sven-Goran Eriksson celebrates with his Lazio team after the friendly match against China at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy on January 9, 2001. He would shortly leave the club to become England manager. Allsport -
Sven-Goran Eriksson was given a huge transfer budget to sign the likes of Chile striker Marcelo Salas ahead of the 1998/99 Serie A season. They won the European Cup Winners' Cup that season before winning a league-and-cup double the following campaign. Getty -
Sven-Goran Eriksson and Simone Inzaghi of Lazio in discussion during a Serie A match during the 1999/2000 season. Allsport -
Lazio president Massimo Cragnotti and Sven-Goran Eriksson lift the European Cup Winners' Cup Trophy after victory over Mallorca at Villa Park, Birmingham in 1998. Allsport -
Sven-Goran Eriksson during his time at Italian club Sampdoria in 1993. Allsport
Under Eriksson, they exited at the quarter-final stages of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups as well as Euro 2004.
He also coached the national teams of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines.
Eriksson managed Manchester City during the 2007/08 season, finishing ninth in the Premier League, before parting ways with the club in June 2008 just weeks before the Abu Dhabi-backed City Football Group takeover.
He made his name in European football by guiding unfancied Swedish side IFK Goteborg to Uefa Cup success in 1982 but it was in Italy where he established his coaching credentials, guiding Lazio to a league-and-cup double in 2000 a year after winning the European Cup Winners' Cup.
He was also briefly technical director at UAE top-flight club Al Nasr but left his post in June 2013 only four months into an 18-month contract.
