Nancy Dell’Olio has shared a deeply personal tribute to her late ex-fiancé Sven-Göran Eriksson as she marked what would have been his 77th birthday.

The former England boss passed away in August last year aged 76 following his battle against pancreatic cancer.

The Italian lawyer, 63, and the Swede previously had a ten year relationship and were thought to have never married, but Nancy has previously referred to him as her husband

The Italian lawyer, 63, and the Swede previously had a ten year relationship and were thought to have never married, but Nancy has previously referred to him as her husband.

And taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Nancy shared a sweet snap with her head resting on his chest as she penned: ‘happy birthday sven, Missing you. I always did. Love never died’.

He and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager.

Nancy moved with Sven to London after he got the top job as England boss, but it wasn’t long before he embarked on an affair with Swedish television presenter Ulrika Jonsson at the start of 2002.

Nancy stuck by Sven, but he had another affair in 2004 with the then Football Association secretary Faria.

Speaking in her first interview after his death on GMB back in August she said: ‘I made an important choice. I didn’t want to regret the decision I made (to leave her husband).

‘He admitted himself that he was very stupid and he told me immediately the flings meant nothing to him.’

During the moving interview, Nancy shared that she and Sven stayed in touch after she learned he was battling cancer.

She said: ‘I just said he was trying to put in the effort to say that he was fine on the phone because most of the time he was not answering or at treatment.

‘I never thought that he was about to die. I always believed there would be some sort of miracle.’

Breaking down, Nancy apologised, with host Richard Madeley then ending the interview.

Speaking about their contact while Sven battled his illness, Nancy said he would always sound ‘relaxed’ and ‘laughing’, and he would try and reassure her concerns.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Nancy shared a sweet snap with her head resting on his chest as she penned: ‘happy birthday sven, Missing you. I always did. Love never died’

He and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager

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He and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager

Nancy previously  shared that she and Sven stayed in touch after she learned he was battling cancer as she said: 'I never thought that he was about to die. I always believed there would be some sort of miracle'

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Nancy previously  shared that she and Sven stayed in touch after she learned he was battling cancer as she said: ‘I never thought that he was about to die. I always believed there would be some sort of miracle’

She said: ‘It was hard, but he sounded so relaxed and we were laughing and he would just say ‘I feel okay’.

‘It was quite difficult to even be talking but I tried to be fearless and see how he was. I wanted to get together for another dinner.’

Nancy also admitted she still loved Sven and that he was ‘a kind person’ saying: ‘I find it difficult being here talking about Sven knowing that he is not here with us anymore.

‘He was loveable, when you love someone you will love them forever. He was a very kind person. He is more reserved and that is why the opposite always got attention.

‘We connected he would say when he saw me the first time that he thought I was the one. For me, it was not the same as I was married, and it happened months later.’