Nancy Dell’Olio will attend Sven-Goran Eriksson’s funeral & ‘never stopped loving’ ex-England boss despite affairs
SVEN-Göran Eriksson’s ex-lover Nancy Dell’Olio will attend his funeral this week after making peace with him in his final days.
The Italian lawyer shared heartfelt phone calls with the ex-England football coach shortly before his death aged 76 of pancreatic cancer.
Their relationship had been rocked by his affairs with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson in 2002, and then-FA secretary Faria Alam in 2004.
But Nancy, 63, broke down in a ITV interview last month as she told of her pain at the loss of “love of her life” Sven.
She will steel herself to fly from her home in Italy to Torsby, Sweden, where hundreds are expected to pay respects on Friday.
A source said: “Nancy will be going to the funeral.
“She never stopped loving Sven and wants to say goodbye properly.
“His family and his last girlfriend are aware and OK with it.
Nancy is a very emotional woman and it will be difficult for her but she feels she has to go.”
Nancy met Sven in 1998 when he managed Rome side Lazio, and was with him throughout his Three Lions reign from 2001 to 2006.
Sven spent his last days at his lakeside retreat at Sunne in western Sweden and died surrounded by his family.
Mourners, possibly including Sven’s England captain David Beckham, will attend a church service before speeches and eulogies at a community centre.
The send-off has been arranged by Sven’s last lover Yaniseth Alcides plus his children Johan, 45, and Lina, 37, from his marriage to Ann-Christine Pettersson.
And the family are understood to have extended an invitation to Nancy after she expressed a wish to attend.
In an exclusive Sun on Sunday interview in January, days after he made his terminal diagnosis public, Sven said “No, not at all!” when asked if he had spoken to Nancy of his illness.
But he and Nancy, once dubbed The First Lady of English Football, reconciled soon after and chatted several times before his death.