Beckham joins mourners at Eriksson's funeral in Sweden

David Beckham joined mourners at the funeral of former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson in his home town of Torsby in Sweden to hear tributes to a “genuinely kind” man who “loved good food and drink and travelling first-class”.

- Daniel Boffey

Addressing full pews in the Fryksände church, and hundreds more watching outside on a big screen, the priest, a close friend of Eriksson, Ingela Alvskog, spoke of a final months that had been “full of life” despite him being diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas.

Eriksson, who died at the age of 76, had left “so many beautiful memories” and had “brought so much joy” and “a lot of laughter” to the lives to his friends and family, including his 95-year-old father, Sven, his children, Johan and Lina, and partner, Yaniseth Alcides, she said.

Beckham, 49, who was captain of England during the Swede’s five tumultuous years in charge of the national team, hugged Eriksson’s former partner Nancy Dell’Olio as they attended the church before eulogies by nearby Lake Fryken.