Former coach of the England national team, Sven-Goran Eriksson, says he has “at best” a year to live after he was diagnosed with cancer, the 75-year-old announced on Thursday.

“I’m going to resist for as long as I can,” Eriksson told Swedish Radio P1. “I have an illness that’s serious. Best case a year, I have a worst case a lot less. It’s impossible to say exactly, so it’s better to not think about it,” he added.

Eriksson, who managed England between 2001 and 2006 and led them to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup and the European Championships, said he was diagnosed with the disease “almost one year ago”.

As a result of the health issue, the former Manchester City manager had to step down from his role as the Karlstad, a club in his home country of Sweden, close to a year ago.

Speaking to BBC World Service’s Sporting Witness, Eriksson said: “I live a totally normal life.” He continued: “I’m not in hospital, I go now and then for a visit but I live at home and I have friends here. Christmas and New Year, the whole family were here – a lot of people.

“I’m going out to try and exercise as much as possible, which is less than it was one year ago, but I have a normal life,” the Serie A title, two Italian Cups and the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup winning coach said.