- Sven-Goran Eriksson unfortunately lost his battle with pancreatic cancer last month
- He spent his last days in the small Swedish town of Torsby, where he grew up
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The small Swedish town of Torsby will be in the spotlight for a short while on Friday as former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson is laid to rest.
Eriksson tragically passed away on August 26 at the age of 76 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The Swede was treated with great respect.
In January, he announced that he had only one year to live after the diagnosis and that he was surrounded by his family when he died.
A number of big names are expected to attend the funeral at the Fryksande Church in Torsby.
The small town, with just over 4,000 inhabitants, is where Erikkson grew up and spent his last days.
The Fryksande Church in Torsby will host the funeral of Sven Goran-Eriksson on Friday
Former England manager Eriksson sadly lost his battle with pancreatic cancer last month
The municipality is picturesque with lush green countryside, mountains and a beautiful lake surrounding the main residential area.
Players including former England manager Roy Hodgson and former Three Lions captain David Beckham flew into Karlstad Airport on Thursday, with Beckham arriving by private jet.
However, the majority of those attending the service will come from the region.
One of them is the Swede’s old friend Bengt Berg, who told The Mirror: ‘Sven was a big star in football but he wasn’t a big star when he came back here. He was very normal and human.
Torsby is a small town surrounded by beautiful green countryside and lakes and streams
It is a mountainous area with breathtaking views, perfect for those who love the outdoors
“He was humble and never forgot his roots. They were very important to him and I think they helped him in his career.”
Police expect between 500 and several thousand people to attend the 10 a.m. service at the church, which has a capacity of 600.
There will also be a large screen outside so those who can’t get inside can still watch.
The streets surrounding the beautiful building are cordoned off with priest Ingela Alvskog, also a good friend of Eriksson, to lead the ceremony.
David Beckham’s private jet was photographed arriving at a nearby airport on Thursday
This will be followed by a funeral procession in New Orleans jazz style, with a brass band leading the former manager’s coffin to the grounds of the nearby Kollsberg Museum.
More speeches are then given on a stage flanked by a wooden amphitheatre and Lake Fryken, something Eriksson had a great fondness for.
Eriksson’s favourite band Sven-Ingvars will also perform, after which a group of approximately 150 guests will be able to enjoy some of his favourite dishes.
Bengt added: ‘It will be sad in the church, but the procession will be different. He wanted it to be like a carnival and joyful.
‘There will also be popular, well-known songs on stage, including those by the band Sven Ingvars.’
Eriksson spent his last days on his secluded lakeside estate, where he had his ashes scattered.
