David Beckham arrived in Sweden on Thursday to attend the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was his former coach with the England national team.
Eriksson passed away on August 26 at the age of 76, just eight months after revealing he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live.
Beckham, who was England’s captain under Eriksson from 2001 to 2006, visited Eriksson in Sweden in June.
Swedish news agency TT reported that Beckham arrived in the early evening at Karlstad airport, which is a short drive from Torsby. Torsby, about 310 kilometers (193 miles) west of Stockholm, will host the funeral on Friday at the Fryksande church, which seats 600 people.
Beckham was seen checking into a hotel in Karlstad. Torsby is located in Varmland, the region where Eriksson grew up and passed away.
After the church service on Friday, a musical procession will accompany the coffin as it is moved 700 meters (766 yards) to a museum in Torsby known for its collection of original wooden houses and traditional furnishings. There, speeches and eulogies will be given.
“It is an honor to be able to come to his funeral, although it is a sad day,” said Roy Hodgson, another former England coach who also arrived in Torsby on Thursday, according to the local Warmlands Folkblad outlet.
