Ex-England boss died penniless as HMRC demand £3.5m in 'unpaid tax'

The managerial legend left very little behind despite making tens of millions from his career.

Sven-Goran Eriksson is the subject of a huge tax bill more than two years after his death. The estate of the former England manager, who died of pancreatic cancer in August 2024, is reportedly being chased for £3.5million by HMRC. The Swedish coach was paid around £25m during his five years as Three Lions boss and made tens of millions more from managing the likes of Roma, Lazio, Manchester City and a number of Chinese clubs during his career.

However, according to his lawyer, there are insufficient funds left to settle the aforementioned inheritance bill with HMRC. Anders Runebjer says while football made Eriksson very wealthy, he didn't manage his money well because he was too busy with the game and members of the opposite sex.

Runebjer told The Sun that £1m is stashed in a Cayman Islands tax haven, plus £300,000 in a UK bank. He said: "Sven earned millions but was always too busy with his football and his ladies to manage money very well.

"I told the HMRC I'm not able to get the money in the Cayman Islands or his UK bank and said they're welcome to seize it. They replied that they couldn't do that, so I told them there was nothing else left, so they won't get paid.

"Sven was regularly sent bills by the British taxman and paid promptly but they changed the rules and now say he still owes £3.5million, plus interest after he passed away. They're welcome to take whatever they can get but I'm not giving them anything."

Runebjer said his priority was to look after Eriksson's son Johan, 47, and daughter Lina, 39, when it came to unearthing inheritance funds and investments. He said: "My priority is trying to get whatever money I can that he left for his children, not the British taxman."

Speaking in January 2025, months after his client's death, Runebjer said it was widely expected that Eriksson would leave little behind. He told Swedish publication Expressen at the time: "It is no surprise at all for those involved. It was expected. Svennis even said that 'I will not leave any money behind me.' And that was the case.

"It is the debt to the English tax authorities that is the background to the large total of debts. If it were not for that then there would have been no danger."

Eriksson's will stated that his assets would go to Lina and Johan. They would in turn ensure that Sven's father, Sven Eriksson, 95, could continue to live at the same financial level.

According to Expressen, Sven also wanted to give his girlfriend, Yaniseth, 10million kronor (£730,000), provided that his assets exceeded 100million kronor (£7.3m).

Part of the money for his partner was intended to pay for her son's university education. He also wanted to give one million kronor to his brother, Lars-Erik Eriksson, as gratitude for taking care of their mother and father.