Sven-Goran Erikisson’s ex-partner Nancy Dell’Olio has revealed she had no idea he has ‘at best another year to live’.
The former England manager, 75, announced last week that he has terminal pancreatic cancer after secretly battling the inoperable cancer for a year.
Nancy, who dated Sven for ten years, spoke about his devastating diagnosis on Loose Women on Thursday and revealed plans to see him on his birthday next month.
The Italian lawyer said she felt “very emotional” because even though she learned he had cancer a year ago, she had no idea of his life prognosis.
Nancy told the panel, “I learned it a year ago. I knew it was serious. I was very happy that he decided to go public because he received so much support and I think he made the right decision.
Sven-Goran Erikisson’s ex-partner Nancy Dell’Olio has revealed she had no idea he has ‘at best another year to live’
The former England manager, 75, announced last week that he has terminal pancreatic cancer after secretly battling the inoperable cancer for a year.
‘I was shocked to hear that he was seriously ill, but I heard from the press that he only had one year left. I did not know. I find it so hard to deal with the idea that you only have a year. It’s not even 90 minutes. I do believe in miracles.’
Nancy – who left her husband Giancarlo Massa for the coach – was a constant at Sven’s side and was photographed with him at various tournaments.
The couple met in 1997 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and Nancy came to England with him when he was appointed in charge of the Three Lions and was with him for ten years.
The lawyer stayed with Sven despite his affairs with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson and FA secretary Faria Alam. She subsequently appeared in Strictly and Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity MasterChef.
The couple eventually separated in August 2007.
Nancy, who cut a glamorous figure on the show with her bouncy hairdryer and red blazer, said she was at an airport in New York when she first heard that Sven had made his diagnosis public.
‘I was one of only four people allowed to know. He called from Italy, I signed the contract. I’ll be back tomorrow.’
Nancy described their relationship as ‘one of the two most important love stories of my life’ and will try to see Sven next month for his birthday, which is on February 5.
The couple met in 1997 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio. They broke up in 2007 (pictured in 2006)
In a glittering managerial career, Sven was boss of IFK Göteborg, Benfica, Roma, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester City
The lawyer stayed with Sven despite his affairs with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson (pictured) and FA secretary Faria Alam
She said, “I’m going to try to visit him, probably for his birthday. It will stay forever, it’s a part of my life.
‘The audience played such a big role, we are part of British history in a way. The past comes back into your present. It’s already been a difficult time for me, losing my mother, so it’s a very emotional time for me.”
Last week, Sven revealed his prognosis and determination to fight ‘as long as possible’.
He said: ‘Everyone understands that I have a disease that is not good. Everyone suspects it’s cancer, and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can.”
When asked what the prognosis is, he said Sweden P1 radio station that he “may have a year at best, a little less at worst, or maybe even longer at best.” You can’t be completely sure. It’s better not to think about it’.
Sven collapsed after a 5 km run last year and discovered he was seriously ill.
After visiting his doctors, it was discovered that he had suffered a stroke and also had cancer.
He said, “They don’t know how long I’ve had cancer, maybe a month or a year.”
‘It is not good. Everyone suspected it was cancer, and it was. But I have to fight while I can.
‘But you can fool your brain. See the positive in things, don’t wallow in setbacks, because this is of course the biggest setback, but make something good out of it.’
In a glittering managerial career, Sven was boss of IFK Göteborg, Benfica, Roma, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester City.
He was also manager of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines.
But while in charge of England for five years, he became the most famous football manager in the world.
Between 2001 and 2006 he managed the so-called ‘golden generation’ of stars such as David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, but never won the expected major trophy.
His tragic diagnosis came almost exactly 22 years after he resigned as manager of Lazio, before taking up his coaching role with England.
The Swede had signed a five-year contract three months earlier to take over in the summer of 2001.
Eriksson said his Lazio side were ‘one of the best in the world’ and he was probably right.
But the ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to manage England and the £3million salary that came with it proved too good to pass up.
She quickly revived a long-failing England team. The team’s thumping 5–1 victory over Germany provided plenty of optimism and turned the 2002 World Cup qualifying group, even if Beckham’s last-minute free-kick against Greece was needed to set up a tricky play-off with Ukraine to prevent.
The intimate details of his affair with TV presenter and fellow countryman Ulrika dominated the front and back pages for weeks before Eriksson returned to his long-term partner Nancy.