After a lifetime of managing top football clubs, including England, Sven-Göran Eriksson died facing millions in debts. Following a disastrous financial scam, his estate shows a deficit of over £3.7 million, much of it owed to UK tax authorities
BY PC Bureau
Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, who led the national football team to notable World Cup and European Championship performances, passed away deeply in debt, it has been revealed. Despite a lucrative career managing top football teams, including England, Eriksson faced personal financial ruin after falling victim to a scam that cost him £100 million.
According to his estate documents, published this week, Eriksson died with debts totaling 118 million kronor (approximately £8.6 million). At the time of his death, his assets amounted to 66 million kronor, leaving the estate in a deficit of just over 51 million kronor (around £3.7 million), as reported by The Mirror.
Rest in peace, Sven-Göran Eriksson (1948-2024) – one of Sweden's soccer greats.
The first overseas manager of England (2001-2006), he also coached IFK Gothenburg to the UEFA Cup title in 1982, and guided Lazio to the Serie A title in 2000.
📷: Björn Larsson Rosvall/TT pic.twitter.com/LMKGxlT3oz
— Sweden (@Sweden) August 26, 2024
The financial breakdown, filed with the Swedish Tax Agency, reveals that the largest portion of his debt was owed to the UK tax authorities, amounting to SEK 99 million. This stems from a disastrous financial venture in 2011, when Eriksson’s financial advisor, Samir Khan, allegedly gained unchecked access to Eriksson’s wealth and invested £10 million in risky, unwise property schemes.
In an interview in 2013, Eriksson explained how he trusted Khan’s advice without question, admitting, “I never cared about money. Not one bit.” He also confessed that he didn’t bother reading through contracts, sometimes signing documents with minimal information. “Suffice to say that Samir caught on pretty quickly,” he added.
Eriksson’s lawyer, Anders Runebjer, stated that the family was not surprised by the financial situation. “It was expected,” Runebjer told Expressen. “Sven had even said, ‘I will not leave any money behind me,’ and that was the case.” He emphasized that without the massive tax debt, Eriksson’s estate would not have been in such dire straits.
Eriksson’s will states that his children, Lina and Johan, would inherit his assets, with the promise that they would ensure their 95-year-old grandfather could continue living comfortably. The football legend also planned to leave ten million kronor (£730,000) to his girlfriend, Yaniseth, to help fund her son’s university education, provided his estate exceeded 100 million kronor. He also wished to give one million kronor to his brother Lars-Erik as a token of gratitude for caring for their parents.
The estate inventory also disclosed that Eriksson’s funeral in Torsby cost 650,000 kronor (£47,500), with an additional 30,000 kronor set aside for a tombstone. Furthermore, his Björkefors manor, located on Lake Fryken in Värmland, has been put up for sale.
Sven-Göran Eriksson says he has ‘best case a year to live’ after an inoperable cancer diagnosis. 💔pic.twitter.com/WIRA9ofKa5
— PurelyFootball ℗ (@PurelyFootball) January 11, 2024
Eriksson’s close friend, author Bengt Berg, commented on the revelation, saying he was unsure if it was a shock, as he had never been privy to Eriksson’s financial situation.
Sven-Göran Eriksson passed away on August 26 of last year after a battle with pancreatic cancer. During his tenure as England manager, he led the team to two World Cup quarter-finals (2002 and 2006) and the 2004 European Championship. He also won Serie A with Lazio and went on to manage Manchester City and Mexico after leaving his role with England.
In a poignant farewell message shared in his Prime Video documentary, Eriksson reflected on his life: “I had a good life. Life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is. Hopefully, at the end, people will say I was a good man.” He concluded, “Don’t be sorry, smile. Take care of yourself, take care of your life. And live it. Bye.”
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