Eriksson to coach Liverpool in charity game amid cancer battle

Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson will fulfill his dream of managing Liverpool amid his battle with cancer. The club announced on Tuesday that they would support the club's legends team against Ajax in a charity match on March 23.

Eriksson, 76, announced last month that he had discovered he had cancer after suddenly collapsing and being told by doctors that he had a year to live “at best”.

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He became England's first foreign-born manager after making his name winning club league titles with Lazio in Italy, Benfica in Portugal and Gothenburg in his native Sweden.

Eriksson coached England between 2001 and 2006, with a star cast of players including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney. The team reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups before being eliminated by Brazil and Portugal respectively.

In the only other major tournament managed by Eriksson – Euro 2004 – England were also eliminated in the quarter-finals, again by Portugal and via penalties.

After England, Eriksson coached a series of teams, including Manchester City and Mexico.

On a personal level, however, Eriksson remained a lifelong Liverpool fan and, after announcing his diagnosis, told British media that he had never achieved his dream of managing Liverpool. On Tuesday, it was announced that this dream would come true.

“The former England boss will join a group of LFC greats, including Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge, for the annual LFC Foundation charity match,” Liverpool said in a statement.

“Everyone connected to the club and the LFC Foundation looks forward to warmly welcoming LFC fan Sven and his family to Anfield – and seeing him in the dugout that day – for a fantastic fundraising opportunity funds.”

Former Liverpool players who will take part in the match include Jerzy Dudek, Martin Škrtel, Fábio Aurélio, Djibril Cissé and Ryan Babel.