Sven-Goran Eriksson died 'millions in debt' after financial adviser defrauded him to leave family devastated
WATCH NOW: Paul Coyte discusses the latest sport headlines on January 14
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson died £8.6 million in debt, newly published Swedish estate documents have revealed.
The legendary football coach, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on August 26 last year, left behind substantial debts totalling 118 million Swedish kronor.
The estate documents, published on Tuesday and filed with the Swedish Tax Agency, show the full extent of Eriksson's financial difficulties at the time of his death.
The former England boss, who led the national team to three quarter-final appearances between 2002 and 2006, had fallen into severe financial trouble despite earning significant sums during his illustrious career.
Sven-Goran Eriksson died millions in debt after being scammed
PA
According to the estate inventory, Eriksson had assets worth 66 million kronor (£4.83m) at the time of his death.
However, his total debts amounted to 118 million kronor, leaving a deficit of 51 million kronor (£3.7m).
The largest portion of his debt was owed to UK tax authorities, with HM Revenue and Customs due approximately £7.2m (99 million kronor).
These financial details, reported by Swedish newspaper Gotesborg-Posten, paint a stark picture of the former manager's financial situation in his final days.
Eriksson's financial troubles stemmed from a devastating scam by financial advisor Samir Khan, who defrauded him of £10 million through dubious investments after gaining unlimited access to his wealth.
JUST IN: Tyson Fury receives new job offer less than 24 hours after boxing legend announced retirement
Writing in his 2013 autobiography, Eriksson admitted: "I was not interested in the details: if he said that an investment was sound, I trusted him.
"I didn't even read through the long contracts. Sometimes, he'd fax over just one page for me to sign."
"The truth is that I never cared about money. Not one bit. Suffice to say that Samir caught on pretty quickly," Eriksson revealed.
The scam nearly drove him to personal bankruptcy, despite his successful managerial career.
Hundreds attended Sven-Goran Eriksson's funeral including former England captain David Beckham
PA
In response to the mounting debts, Eriksson's family has been forced to put his Bjorkefors manor up for sale, a stunning property located by Lake Fryken in Varmland.
The family's lawyer, Anders Runebjer, told Swedish publication Expressen: "It is no surprise at all for those involved. It was expected.
"Svennis even said that 'I will not leave any money behind me'. And that was the case."
"It is the debt to the English tax authorities that is the background to the large total of debts. If it were not for that then there would have been no danger," Runebjer added.
In a poignant farewell message recorded for his Prime Video film, Eriksson reflected on his life and legacy with characteristic optimism.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Sven-Goran Eriksson was always upbeat, even after being diagnosed with terminal cancer
PA
"I had a good life. I think we are all scared of the day when we die, but life is about death as well. You have to learn to accept it for what it is," he said.
The former England manager expressed hope for how he would be remembered: "Hopefully at the end people will say yeah he was a good man, but everyone will not say that."
His final message was characteristically upbeat: "Don't be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds, it's been fantastic.
"Take care of yourself and take care of your life. And live it. Bye."
You may like
