During his career, Sven-Goran Eriksson coached some of the best Italian and Serie A players, including Roberto Mancini, Roberto Baggio, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Carlo Ancelotti. Here are the best footballers who played under the former Fiorentina, Lazio, Roma and Samp coach.
Eriksson’s death was confirmed by his family today, Monday, August 26, 2024.
The former Swedish coach had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and said in January that he had “at best” a year left to live.
He won trophies for Roma, Samp and Lazio in Serie A, and several Italian clubs honoured him today.
Eriksson coached some of the best Italian and Serie A players ever. The player with the most appearances under Eriksson was Roberto Mancini, who played for the ex-Swedish tactician at Lazio and Samp.
Overall, Mancio scored 90 goals in 306 games under Eriksson.
Mihajlovic made 202 appearances with Eriksson in charge, also for Lazio and Samp, scoring 39 goals. The former defender died in December 2022, but his wife Arianna paid tribute to Eriksson on Monday, sharing a picture of his husband listening to Sven’s advice on the touchline during the 2000-01 campaign at Lazio.
Attilio Lombardo and Vladimir Jugovic also played under Eriksson at Lazio and Samp, making 189 and 142 appearances, respectively.
Below is a list of the best Italian and Serie A players who worked with Eriksson during their playing careers.
Luca Marchegiani – Lazio 148 appearances
Pavel Nedved – Lazio 149 appearances, 34 goals
Alessandro Nesta – Lazio 136 appearances, three goals.
Pietro Vierchowod – Sampdoria 111 appearances, six goals
Giuseppe Favalli – Lazio 120 appearances, one goal
Alberico Evani – Sampdoria 119 appearances, three goals
Giuseppe Giannini – Roma 104 appearances, 15 goals
Juan Sebastian Veron – Lazio and Samp, 97 appearances 16 goals
Carlo Ancelotti – Roma 93 appearances and five goals
Marcelo Salas – Lazio 103 appearances, 44 goals.
Roberto Pruzzo – Roma 98 appearances, 34 goals
Bruno Conti – Roma 86 appearances, four goals
Matias Almeyda – Lazio 93 appearances, two goals
Gianluca Pagliuca – Sampdoria 73 appearances
Roberto Baggio – Fiorentina 74 appearances, 33 goals
Dejan Stankovic – Lazio 93 appearances, 16 goals
Sergio Conceiçao – Lazio 87 appearances, 11 goals
Zibì Boniek – Roma 66 appearances, 16 goals
Christian Karembeu – Samp 66 appearances, six goals
Ruud Gullit – Samp 63 appearances, 26 goals
Fernando Couto – Lazio 76 appearances, two goals
Walter Zenga – Samp 54 appearances
Alen Boksic – Lazio 77 appearances, 24 goals
Diego Simeone – Lazio 68 appearances, eight goals
Enrico Chiesa – Samp 53 appearances, 24 goals
Francesco Graziani – Roma 52 appearances, 11 goals
Dunga – Fiorentina, 38 appearances, four goals
Simone Inzaghi – Lazio 57 appearances, 26 goals.
Clarence Seedorf – Samp 34 appearances, four goals.