David Beckham joins mourners at Sven-Göran Eriksson’s funeral in Sweden | Sven-Göran Eriksson

David Beckham has joined mourners at the funeral of former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson in his hometown of Torsby in Sweden to hear tributes to a “genuinely kind” man who “loved good food, good drink and travelling first class”.

Speaking to the packed pews of Fryksände Church, and hundreds of others watching outside on a large screen, the priest, Eriksson’s close friend Ingela Alvskog, spoke of his final months being “full of life” despite being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

Eriksson, who died aged 76, had left behind “so many beautiful memories” and had “brought so much joy” and “lots of laughter” into the lives of his friends and family, including his 95-year-old father, Sven, his children, Johan and Lina, and his partner, Yaniseth Alcides, she said.

Beckham, 49, who captained England during the Swede’s tumultuous five years in charge of the national team, hugged Eriksson’s former partner Nancy Dell’Olio as they attended church ahead of the eulogies at nearby Lake Fryken.

The hour-long service, which alternated between English and Swedish, included renditions of Elton John’s Candle in the Wind and Frank Sinatra’s My Way, and showcased Eriksson’s love of routine and discipline as well as the high life.

Eriksson, who led England to three major tournament quarter-finals between 2001 and 2006 after giving Italian club Lazio their first Serie A title in 26 years, often chose to wear a suit as a teenager but was also known to put a sign on his bedroom door reading “No Entry – Homework in Progress” to give himself extra time to read detective novels in bed.

There was also reference to Eriksson fulfilling his lifelong dream in the final months of his life: to coach Liverpool, which he did at a charity match in March when he took charge of a team of “legends” at Anfield.

His feelings for Liverpool were commemorated by a local brass band playing You’ll Never Walk Alone as the hearse left the ground after the ceremony.

Also present were Roy Hodgson, who coached England six years after Eriksson stepped down, and members of the Swedish royal family.

Before the speeches at Lake Fryken, Beckham, who had visited Eriksson just weeks before his death, walked with the family before gently placing his hand on his former manager’s coffin.

Eriksson’s son Johan, 45, described the lake as his father’s “corner of the world”. “Peace, calmness was a big part of his character,” he said. Eriksson’s daughter Lina, 37, said her father had wished for a funeral “full of joy, music and happiness”. She added: “In Dad’s own words, ‘Don’t be sorry, smile, take care of yourself and take care of your life and live it because life is beautiful'”.