In his autobiography titled 'The Didi Man', former Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann recalled a conversation he had with Sven-Goran Eriksson during the club's pre-season tour of Thailand in 2008, which saw the Swede approach him with a bottle of champagne and two glasses at ten o'clock in the morning.
"I looked up and said, 'Boss, what are we celebrating?'" Hamann wrote. "He turned to me and smiled that gentle smile of his and took on the air of a Buddhist philosopher as he said, ‘Life, Kaiser.’ Then after pausing for dramatic effect, 'We are celebrating… life.'"
That disarming charm was what made Eriksson unique. Success never came easy for the Swede, despite amassing a respectable haul of 14 major trophies across his 42-year career in football management, but he savoured every moment until it was over.
The Prince of Wales spoke for fans around the world when describing Eriksson as a "true gentleman of the game" after the 76-year-old's family announced his death on Monday. There are not many coaches who have managed to achieve more than Eriksson, but that's not why he was so popular. He was a kind, humble man who intuitively understood people, and his determination to squeeze as much joy from life as possible will be his lasting legacy.