Sven-Goran Eriksson’s last words on love life written before his death – ‘All hell broke loose’

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s tenure as England manager is renowned not just for how the Three Lions fared on the field, but also for the Swede’s high-profile love life and two relationships.

Before his death in August, Sven-Goran Eriksson denied doing ‘anything illegal’ in his love life and refuted reports of’so-called affairs’.

Eriksson, the former England manager, was put to rest last month in an emotional memorial service that included David Beckham and Roy Hodgson. Eriksson, renowned as one of Europe’s top managers at the turn of the century, also made headlines off the pitch.

During his tenure as England manager from 2001 to 2006, the Swede dated two women: TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson and then-FA secretary Faria Alam. This was despite his public connection with Italian lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio, who attended his burial.

Eriksson’s flings meant that while he was England manager, his face was frequently featured on both the front and back pages of newspapers, with paparazzi never far away. However, the former Lazio, Manchester City, and Leicester manager, who died at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, denied any misconduct before his death.

“None of the’scandals’ I wound up involved in had anything to do with the football played by the 11 players I sent on the pitch, and I would never have dreamt that there would be such an uproar about my so-called ‘affairs’,” Eriksson wrote in his soon-to-be released memoir, A Beautiful Game, as published by the Mail.

“Of course, I dated ladies I wasn’t married to, but so do many guys. I wasn’t married, so it wasn’t such a huge deal. I was a matured man who encountered mature ladies who knew what they were doing.

“In my perspective, I did not do anything wrong. That’s what I thought back then, and it’s what I think now, but then everything went crazy. I could take over the front and back pages of the tabloids for several weeks. I was everywhere, and that wasn’t where I should have been given my position.”

Eriksson also revealed how his high-profile romance with Dell’Olio ended, despite the fact that she openly supported him until 2007. “My relocation to England coincided with the conclusion of my romance with Italian lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio. Officially, we lived together in London, but I had moved out and kept up appearances by occasionally staying in our joint flat,” he confessed.

“In early 2002, I began secretly dating TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson, a fellow Swede.” It was nothing significant, but the FA hired a media specialist who stated there was no way to prevent the story from spreading. Ulrika and I were both too renowned. ‘We’ll simply let this one fade out’ was his advice.

“It did subside after a time, but it was difficult while it lasted. Then, two years later, a fresh wave poured in: I began seeing Faria Alam, an FA secretary. The tale was spiced further by the fact that Mark Palios, the FA’s then-CEO, had an affair with Faria.

“When suspicions began to circulate about Faria’s connection with Palios, the FA’s press officer, Colin Gibson, advised me that the matter might be handled if I gave the News of the World a personal interview in which I discussed my relationship with Faria. However, Palios’ name would not be revealed. I was going to be sacrificed to save his skin.

“I informed Gibson that he was the son of a b****. Eventually, both Gibson and Palios had to quit their jobs: Gibson because he attempted to disguise Mark Palios’ participation in the incident. I have been asked several times if I regret meeting Faria Alam and Ulrika Jonsson. “If I had known what it would lead to, I might have called it off.”

Eriksson then reiterated his claim of innocence, stating, “In purely ethical terms, I don’t understand why I shouldn’t be able to have a relationship with whoever I want.” But one of the most difficult things to deal with was the end of my tenure as England manager. Around that time, Nancy and I also decided to stop our relationship.

“I didn’t have any consistent relationships following the breakup, although I met a lot of ladies. They didn’t provide as a source of comfort when I was depressed, since what I was lacking was not a connection. It was football.

“I missed being in the spotlight, the social elements, and the satisfaction of winning football games. Overnight, I moved from sitting on England’s bench at the World Cup to sitting in my freshly refurbished house overlooking Lake Fryken.”