Nancy Dell'Olio didn't know ex Sven-Goran Eriksson had ‘best case a year’ to live

The pair dated for several years before splitting in 2007

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10:  Nancy Dell'Olio attends the private view of The Macmillan De'Longhi Arts Programme: SHARED, at Somerset House on September 10, 2015 in London, England. The groundbreaking new fundraising format provides collectors with the rare opportunity to buy and own an element of a single major artwork at Somerset House in London until 13th September.  (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett / Getty Images for De'Longhi)
Nancy Dell'Olio has spoken about Sven-Goran Eriksson's cancer diagnosis. (Getty Images for De'Longhi)

What did you miss?

Nancy Dell’Olio has revealed she had no idea her ex Sven-Goran Eriksson had "best case a year" to live.

The former England football manager shared last week that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, saying he was “going to resist for as long as I can”. “Best case a year, I have worst case a lot less,” he said on Swedish radio station P1. “It's impossible to say exactly, so it's better to not think about it."

Dell’Olio – who was with Eriksson for several years before they split in 2007 – has now said she discovered his prognosis from the press. She also said she was planning to visit him, possibly for his upcoming 76th birthday.

What, how, and why?

The lawyer opened up on ITV’s Loose Women, telling the panel and viewers: “I was shocked when I learned the first time that he was seriously ill. But I learned from the press that he had a year."

ROME, ITALY - MARCH 19: Sven-Goran Eriksson former SS Lazio coach in the 90s during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
Sven-Goran Eriksson has been diagnosed with cancer. (Getty Images)

"I didn't know," added the star.

She went on: “I find it so difficult to cope with the idea you know, you have a year to go. It's not 90 minutes yet, as they would say in football. Until that, always things can change.”

Asked if she would try and see Eriksson at some point, Dell’Olio said: “Yes, I am going to try and go to see him, probably for his birthday, or later on, yes.”

Eriksson turns 76 on February 5.

What has Eriksson said about his diagnosis?

Earlier this week, Eriksson said on Good Morning Britain that he refuses to give up after his diagnosis. "You have to work with it and don't think about it 24 hours a day and don't sit at home and doing nothing," he said.

England Football Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and girlfriend Nancy Dell'Olio at fundraising event for SPARKS chlldren's charity
Sven-Goran Eriksson and Nancy Dell'Olio were a couple for many years. (PA Images/Alamy)

"Live your life as normal as possible as long as you can. And that's what I'm doing really."

"I refuse to give up," he went on. "I want to live every day, a normal life. I can't run a marathon. No. But I can go to the gym. I can do exercise as I always did in my life."

Read more: Loose Women

Watch: Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson given ‘about a year’ to live due to cancer