Tearful Anfield as 'Liverpool boss' dies of cancer...last dreams of a mastermind given life-saving treatment
"To end my life with Liverpool, there is no better way to end it"
Sven Yeran Eriksson, 76, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he took over as Liverpool manager.
The 'Legends Match' between Liverpool and Ajax took place at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on Nov. 23 (local time). Liverpool's lineup was filled with nostalgic players such as Jezzy Dudek, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard, and Fernando Torres. The reactivation of Gerrard and Torres' 'Zetto line' was a nostalgic moment for old fans. Ajax also brought Rafael van der Vaart, Jari Litmanen, and others to the forefront.
The result was 4-2 in favor of Liverpool. The Reds came back from a 0-2 deficit with late goals from Gregory Vigneault, Jibril Cisse, Nabil El Zahr, and Torres. The team colors were worn in dramatic fashion in this legendary match, and the cheers never stopped.
But even more than the scoreline and the players, it was the Liverpool 'bench' that was the center of attention. Instead of a legend like Jürgen Klopp or Kenny Dalglish, it was Eriksson, who had never been in charge of Liverpool before.
The story goes like this. In January, Eriksson gave an interview to the BBC in which he revealed that he had terminal pancreatic cancer. "In early 2023, I had a stroke and had to go to the hospital. I was told that I would be 100 percent recovered from the stroke, but they found an incurable cancer," Eriksson said, adding, "At best, I might live a year, at worst, less."
Eriksson then went on to talk about a "lifelong dream" that he had never 메이저사이트 shared in his 58-year soccer career: to become the manager of Liverpool. The news prompted the Reds and Klopp to invite him to take charge of the Legends Match against Ajax.
So last weekend, his dream came true in the final chapter of his life. Tears welled up in Eriksson's eyes as he listened to Liverpool's trademark anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before the game, and the fans at Anfield were in tears too, as they all knew his story.
After the game, Eriksson shared his feelings in a press conference. "It's beautiful," he said. "It's a lifelong dream come true to sit on the Liverpool bench," he said, "and I'm overcome with emotion and tears in my eyes. I supported Liverpool even when I was England manager, but I couldn't say it then. It's a great finish. It doesn't get any better than this," he said.
Gerrard, the 'captain' of the Liverpool Legends team, also sent his congratulations. "It's very special to have him here today," Gerrard said, "When I heard he was coming, I thought, 'I've got to be here,' and I couldn't wait," he added, expressing his admiration for Eriksson.
Eriksson is one of the world's greatest coaches of the 1990s and 2000s. He has coached IFK Gothenburg, SL Benfica, AS Roma, and SS Lazio, and domestically, he is known for managing the "Star Army" England national team at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup and the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He was appointed as an advisor and head coach of IF Karlstad Fortball in his native Sweden in 2022 before stepping down last year for health reasons.