Sven-Goran Eriksson spent final year at £4million lakeside mansion that had resident ghost

Sven-Goran Eriksson spent his final days in a plush lakeside mansion which was said to be haunted. The iconic football manager has died at the age of 76, prompting a wave of tributes from across the football world.

Eriksson passed away on Monday surrounded by his family having been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Renowned for his globe-trotting coaching career, the former England manager returned to his roots for the latter part of his life, living in a plush estate on the shores of Lake Fryken in western Sweden.

The property, which Eriksson once put up for sale for £4million, boasts a dozen rooms, a private marina, swimming pool on six acres in a picture-postcard location. The historic house, built in the 19th century, never changed hands, potentially due to chilling tales of hauntings by the spirit of Karl Johan Tjeder, a former resident, who reportedly inspired Nobel Literature Prize-winning author Selma Lagerlof's character Sintram in her novel, Gosta Berling's Saga.

Eriksson's so-called 'haunted house' featured in the Prime Video documentary about his life which was only released last week. With the knowledge of his limited time left, the ex-Gothenburg boss said he wanted to have his ashes scattered nearby.

In a poignant moment during the documentary, while visiting a tranquil spot near where he was born and raised, he said: "A beautiful place, [it] makes you calm, makes me calm.

"Observing across the lake, he added: "Below the mountain [is] where my father grew up. If you look straight on, that's Torsby, where I grew up. I always thought great place, to sleep. The ashes could be thrown into the water here. It feels like home."

Eriksson was the first foreign manager of the England national side, taking charge of 67 matches from 2001 to 2006. He led the Three Lions to the quarter-finals of three major tournaments in succession, including the World Cups of 2002 and 2006.

He was appointed after a successful stint in Italy, particularly with Lazio, who he guided to the Serie A title and European Cup Winners' Cup. His international coaching career saw him return to the World Cup with Ivory Coast in 2010 and included stints at the helms of Manchester City and Leicester, among various other jobs.

In the documentary, Eriksson signed off by expressing how he hoped he would be remembered: "I hope you will remember me as a positive guy trying to do everything he could do.

"Don't be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds, it's been fantastic. Take care of yourself and take care of your life. And live it."