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Former England captain David Beckham paid his tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson through an emotional Instagram post. Eriksson passed away on Monday, August 26, at his residence in Sweden after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. After Eriksson’s family issued a statement to confirm the news of his death, tributes poured in from all over the footballing world. Beckham also took to social media and shared a recent clip of him meeting Eriksson.
The former footballer accompanied the clip with a caption and wrote, “We laughed, we cried & we knew we were saying goodbye...Sven thank you for always being the person you have always been, passionate, caring, calm & a true gentleman.” He added, I will be forever grateful for you making me your captain but I will forever hold these last memories of this day with you and your family. Thank you Sven and in your last words to me. "It will be ok. "
Notably, Eriksson was the head coach of the England national team from 2001 to 2006. Beckham was named captain of the national team for the first time by manager Peter Taylor in 2000. He was later awarded the armband permanently by Eriksson. Notably, earlier in June, Eriksson revealed that Beckham travelled to his farm in Sweden with a personal chef and a selection of wines associated with key moments in Eriksson’s career.
Apart from Beckham, Wayne Rooney also shared a picture with the late England coach and wrote, "Rest in peace, Sven. A special man. Thanks for the memories and all your help and advice. Thoughts and prayers with all his family and friends."
The late coach became the first foreign manager of the England team in 2001 and went on to leave a significant mark on the sport. He guided the side to several memorable victories including a 5-1 win over Germany in 2001 and a dramatic draw against Greece that guided them through to the World Cup qualification.
