Michael Joseph scores memoir from football 'legend' Sven-Göran Eriksson

Michael Joseph has scored A Beautiful Game, the memoir of football "legend" Sven-Göran Eriksson told through conversations with friend and author Bengt Berg. 

Head of non-fiction Daniel Bunyard acquired world all rights, excluding Swedish, from Simon Browse at Mondial Sweden. The book will be published with exclusive photographic material from Eriksson’s private archive on 7th November 2024. 

A Beautiful Game "sheds new light on one of football’s most iconic figures", charting Eriksson’s breakthrough at Swedish football club IFK Göteborg to his successes in Portugal and Italy and his time managing the England men’s national team. It will also encompass Eriksson’s upbringing in Torsby. 

The conversations between Eriksson and Berg, the former footballer’s childhood friend, have been compiled and edited to "form a book that captures a life entwined with the beautiful game". 

Eriksson revealed his terminal cancer diagnosis earlier this year on Swedish radio. "Football has been my life, but it is not all that I am," said Eriksson. "I hope this book will give readers insight into the person I am behind the scenes and share some of the life wisdom I have gathered along the way."

Bunyard added: "I am thrilled to be publishing Svennis’ memoir. As the first non-British manager of England and the man who coached England’s Golden Generation, Sven-Göran’s story is a unique take on the development of football both in the UK and around the world, as well as offering reflections on life and leadership. To get to know the man behind the success story has been a privilege, and I am excited for readers to join him as he discusses both his successes and failures—all in the pursuit of the beautiful game.”