Wasn’t where I should have been!’ – Sven-Goran Eriksson denies doing ‘anything wrong’ despite high-profile love affairs as England boss in late manager’s upcoming book

The late Eriksson, a celebrated football manager known for steering England’s national team during a pivotal period, is once again making headlines, but this time it’s posthumously. Despite his exceptional career on the field, his personal life often took centre stage in the media, a narrative he strongly addresses in his upcoming memoirs.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  During his time as England’s coach, he was involved in high-profile relationships with two women: British television presenter Ulrika Jonsson and then-FA secretary Faria Alam. Both of these relationships unfolded in the public eye while he was still involved with Italian lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio. Dell’Olio, who was Eriksson’s partner during much of his time in England.

• • WHAT ERIKSSON WROTE

    Speaking candidly in the to-be-released memoir, A Beautiful Game, as published The Daily Mail, Eriksson expressed frustration over how his private life became a media circus that frequently eclipsed his professional achievements.

    “None of the ‘scandals’ I wound up involved in had anything to do with the football played by the 11 players I sent on to the pitch and I would never have dreamt that there would be such an uproar about my so-called ‘affairs’,” he wrote.

    “Of course, I did date women I wasn’t married to, but that’s something many men do. I wasn’t married myself, so it actually wasn’t a big deal. I was a grown man who met grown women who knew what they were doing.

    “In my opinion, I didn’t do anything wrong. That’s what I thought then, and that’s what I think now but all hell broke loose. I could dominate both the front and back pages of the tabloids for several weeks. I was everywhere, and that wasn’t where I should have been, considering my job.”

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    In his memoirs, Eriksson also sheds light on how his long-term relationship with Dell’Olio ultimately ended.

    “My move to England coincided with the final phase of my relationship with Italian lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio,” he revealed. “Officially we lived together in London, but the truth was that I had moved out and kept up appearances by occasionally living in our shared flat.”

    After his relationship with Dell’Olio ended, Eriksson confessed that while he met numerous women, none of these connections were serious. Contrary to the assumption that he sought solace in romantic relationships, Eriksson reveals that what he truly missed was football.

    “One of the hardest things to deal with was the end of my career as England manager,” he wrote. “Around that time Nancy and I also finally ended our relationship. I didn’t have any steady relations after the break-up, but I did meet a lot of women.

    “It wasn’t that they functioned as consolation when I was feeling down, because what I was missing was not a relationship. It was football. I missed being in the limelight, I missed the social aspects – and I missed the feeling of winning football matches. Overnight, I went from sitting on the bench for England in the World Cup, to sitting in my newly renovated home overlooking Lake Fryken.”

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      ERIKSSON’S LEGACY LIVES ON

      Eriksson’s tenure as England’s first non-British manager remains a significant chapter in the history of the national team. Despite the off-field distractions, he led the Three Lions to three consecutive quarter-final appearances in major international tournaments, including the World Cup and European Championships. Over the course of his career, Eriksson won 18 trophies, making him one of the most decorated managers of his generation. Even towards the end of his life, Eriksson remained connected to football, fulfilling his dream of managing Liverpool in March 2024, where he led the Reds to a 4-2 victory in a Legends match against Ajax.