Karlstand, Sweden – Renowned English footballer David Beckham made his way to Sweden on Thursday to attend the funeral of his former national team coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson. Eriksson passed away on August 26 at the age of 76 after battling pancreatic cancer, having been given a one-year prognosis just eight months prior.
Beckham, who served as captain under Eriksson’s coaching from 2001 to 2006, had visited his former mentor in Sweden back in June. Reports from the Swedish news agency TT indicated Beckham’s arrival on Thursday evening at Karlstad airport, near Torsby, a town about 310 kilometers west of Stockholm where the funeral is scheduled to occur at the 600-seat Fryksande church on Friday. The media captured Beckham checking into a local hotel in Karlstad.
Torsby, located in Varmland, holds significance as it was both Eriksson’s birthplace and the location of his passing. Following the church service on Friday, a musical tribute will accompany the procession as Eriksson’s coffin is carried 700 meters to a museum in Torsby, known for its collection of original wooden houses with traditional furnishings, where speeches and eulogies will be delivered.
Roy Hodgson, another former England coach, expressed his sentiments upon arriving in Torsby on Thursday, acknowledging the honor to pay his respects at Eriksson’s funeral as shared by the local publication Warmlands Folkblad.
The funeral serves as a solemn occasion for the football world to bid farewell to a respected figure like Eriksson, remembered for his contributions to the sport.