David Beckham has shared a heart-breaking tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson on Instagram – featuring what the star says he knew would be his final meeting with the ex-England manager.
Becks’ social media post features a silent clip of him and the late Swede, 76, walking, talking and laughing at what appears to be Eriksson’s home in Sunne.
THE TRIBUTE
He issued the tribute after the football legend’s family announced his death earlier today following a long battle with pancreatic cancer, during which Eriksson inspired the world with his positivity.
The video did not have a date attached – but comes after Eriksson revealed earlier this year that Beckham had visited him with a personal chef and a crate of expensive wine drawn from significant years of the manager’s career.
HE DIDN’T WALK THROUGH IT ALONE
Eriksson’s family were around the Swedish icon’s bed when he passed away earlier this morning – and the news has triggered a flood of tributes from across the footballing world and beyond.
Beckham’s post has been liked almost 350,000 times since it was posted earlier this afternoon.In the caption, the former England midfielder said that he knew that the meeting with his former coach would likely be his last.
WHAT DAVID BECKHAM SAID
He wrote: ‘We laughed, we cried & we knew we were saying goodbye.
‘Sven thank you for always being the person you have always been: passionate, caring, calm & a true gentleman.
‘I will be forever grateful for you making me your captain but I will forever hold these last memories of this day with you and your family.
‘Thank you Sven and in your last words to me: “It will be ok”.’
It is not known when the video was filmed – but Eriksson revealed in June that Beckham had visited him after he announced in January that he had been given ‘at best’ a year to live.
