Nancy Dell’Olio forgave ‘love of her life’ Sven-Göran Eriksson

Nancy Dell’Olio revealed why she forgave the ‘love of her life’ Sven Goran Eriksson for his affairs as she made an emotional TV appearance on Wednesday after his death. 

The lawyer, 63, appeared on Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain where she told how she was able to move past his infidelities with Ulrika Jonsson and Faria Alam after he branded them ‘stupid mistakes’.

The former England boss passed away on Monday morning aged 76 following his battle against pancreatic cancer.

Sven and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager. 

She moved with Sven to London after he got the top job, but it wasn’t long before he embarked on an affair with Swedish television presenter Ulrika at the start of 2002. 

Nancy stuck by Sven, but he then had another affair in 2004 with the then Football Association secretary Faria. Nancy and Sven then stayed together until 2007. 

But she said on GMB in her first interview since his death: ‘Well first of all I made an important choice and I never want to regret what decision I made.

‘I knew he was right person to be with. I stood with him because I know from him he admitted himself he had been very stupid and he told me immediately that it meant nothing to him and that it was stupid for him to do it.

‘It was not easy but it was worth it.’ 

During the moving interview, Nancy also shared that she and Sven stayed in touch after she learned he was battling cancer.

She said: ‘I just said he was trying to put in the effort to say that he was fine on the phone because most of the time he was not answering or at treatment.

‘I never thought that he was about to die. I always believed there would be some sort of miracle.’

Breaking down, Nancy apologised, with host Richard Madeley then ending the interview. 

Speaking about their contact while Sven battled his illness, Nancy said he would always sound ‘relaxed’ and ‘laughing’, and he would try and reassure her concerns.

She said: ‘It was hard, but he sounded so relaxed and we were laughing and he would just say ‘I feel okay’.

‘It was quite difficult to even be talking but I tried to be fearless and see how he was.

‘I wanted to get together for another dinner.’

It comes after she hastily amended her tribute to her ex earlier this week after accidentally referring him to her ‘husband’ in a heartfelt post after his death. 

The pair previously had a ten year relationship and were thought to have never married, but Nancy referred to him as her husband as she reflected on their years together in the heartfelt post.

Nancy took to her Instagram to share a slew of previously unseen photos of the pair of them together and in the caption she called Sven her ‘ex-husband’ and reflected on the ups and downs of the relationship, but insisted that ‘love never truly fades’.

However, she’s since backtracked on her words and changed the post to refer to Sven as her ‘ex-partner’ instead. 

The glamorous Italian – who left her husband Giancarlo Massa for the coach – was a constant by his side and pictured with him at several tournaments. 

One loved-up snap saw her sitting in Sven’s lap laughing, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, while another saw the pair gazing adoringly into each other’s eyes. 

Nancy initially wrote: ‘It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my ex-husband, Sven. Though our relationship had its ups and downs, I choose to remember the good times we shared and the moments that brought joy to our lives.

‘I will always hold onto those cherished memories and extend my deepest condolences to his family, as well as his beloved children, Lina and Johan.

‘When you love someone, that love never truly fades. Rest in peace, Sven. You will be missed.’

She later changed the first line to: ‘It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my ex-partner Sven.’ 

Several of Nancy’s followers took to the comments to write messages of condolence, including WAG Rebekah Vardy who shared red heart emojis. 

Sven and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager.

She moved with Sven to London after he got the top job, but it wasn’t long before he embarked on an affair with Swedish television presenter Ulrika at the start of 2002. 

Nancy stuck by Sven, but he then had another affair in 2004 with the then Football Association secretary Faria Alam. 

The story of the second affair was major news because Faria had also had an affair with the then FA CEO, Mark Palios. 

Despite the media storm, Nancy chose to stay with Sven and when he led England to the World Cup in Germany in 2006, flamboyant Nancy, dressed in designer outfits, organised parties for the WAGS in their base at Baden Baden. 

However, the couple eventually went their separate ways in August 2007 after a decade together.

Writing about their relationship in her book My Beautiful Game, Nancy gushed: ‘I’m proud to have talked about the beautiful love story that linked me to Sven, it’s one of the two great love stories of my life.’

Speaking on a Amazon Prime documentary about his life, Sven spoke candidly about his affairs, but insisted that ‘sex is one of the good things in life for all of us’, he wasn’t married and didn’t break any hearts.

Talking about when his fling with Ulrika emerged, he said: ‘Sex is one of the good things in life for all of us. She was not married. I was not married.

‘Probably I was stupid but I think I didn’t do anything criminal. I didn’t really disturb anyone.’

He explained how Nancy had wanted to leave him, but changed her mind, saying: ‘She loved it. The tension. She was a lady from the upper classes in Rome. She liked to go out with important people.

‘In the beginning I didn’t react very much. But you don’t change people at a certain age. It was not peace in my house always.’

Nancy also appeared on the documentary, and admitted she loved Sven, saying: ‘The first impression that I had about Sven, people in power always have extra, extra sex appeal. I felt in love.

‘It wasn’t something that I was looking for. I was married and I left my husband to start my journey with Sven.

‘We were Sven and Nancy since the first date. I was the first lady of English football and there was never going to be another one after me.’ 

Sven revealed in January that he had ‘best case a year’ to live following his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

After his announcement, Nancy called the news ‘devastating’, saying she ‘knew he was ill’ but had no idea of the extent of his condition.

At the time she told MailOnline: ‘I didn’t think 2024 would open with more bad news. I knew that Sven was ill, but it hurts so much to hear this.

‘It’s a really negative moment. In September my mother died and I can’t get over this loss. It’s like having an open wound that instead of healing keeps getting worse. 

‘Sven’s announcement was devastating. I knew he wasn’t well, but hearing his words really. Life can be cruel.’

Nancy also revealed that she and Sven were due to get married, but said that life had got in the way. 

When asked about reports they had been due to tie the knot she said: ‘Yes but it never happened.

‘Life never knows what awaits you, changes have occurred, difficult days have arrived and many trials to face.’

The Italian also shared her devastation at Sven’s diagnosis when she made an appearance on Loose Women at the start of the year and admitted she had no idea that Sven had ‘at best a year to live’.

She confessed she was feeling ‘very emotional’ after she learned he had cancer.

Nancy told the panel: ‘I learned a year ago. I knew it was serious. I was very pleased that he decided to go public because he received such support and I think he made the right decision.

‘I was shocked when I learned he was seriously ill but I learned from the press that he only had a year. I didn’t know. I find it so difficult to cope with the idea you only have a year. It’s not 90 minutes yet. I do believe in miracles.’

Nancy, who cut a glamorous figure with her bouncy blow-dry and red blazer on the show, said she was at an airport in New York when she first heard Sven had gone public with his diagnosis. 

‘I was one of only 4 people that were allowed to know. He phoned from Italy, I signed the contract. I’m coming back tomorrow.’ 

Sven became the first foreign manager of the England national team in 2001, taking charge of 67 matches until 2006. He led the talented squad to quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and at the 2004 European Championships.

Eriksson managed a ‘golden generation’ of players with England, including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. 

He also managed Swedish, Portuguese and Italian clubs, winning major trophies in the 1980s and 1990s before taking on the England job.

Bo Gustavsson, an agent in Sweden who worked with Eriksson, said in a statement issued on Monday: ‘Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away.

‘After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family.

‘The closest mourners are daughter Lina; son Johan with wife Amana and granddaughter Sky; father Sven; girlfriend Yanisette with son Alcides; brother Lars-Erik with wife Jumnong.

‘The family asks for respect for their wish to mourn in private and not be contacted. Condolences and greetings can be left on the website www.svengoraneriksson.com.’

Leading the tributes after his death was the Prince of Wales, who tweeted: ‘Sad to hear about the passing of Sven-Göran Eriksson. I met him several times as England manager and was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game.

‘My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game. W.’

Meanwhile, David Beckham shared a heart-breaking tribute to Sven on Instagram – featuring what appears to 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 on an unspecified date.

Beckham 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’.’