Former Sweden World Cup captain and coach dies

Nils Liedholm, seen here in in 1958 when he captained to the World Cup finals and as a coach guided AC Milan and Roma to Serie A titles, has died at the age of 85.

      ROME (AFP) - Nils Liedholm, who captained Sweden at the 1958 World Cup finals and as a coach guided AC Milan and Roma] to Serie A titles, has died at the age of 85, ANSA reported Monday.

      A gold medal winner at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, a decade later Liedholm was the skipper of the Swedish team that hosted the World Cup finals.

      Aged then 36 he scored the first goal of those finals although that didn't prevent his side losing 5-2 to a Brazil side starring a 17-year-old Pele.

      After starting off his club career with Swedish side Norrkoping he moved to Italy where he won four league titles with AC Milan in 1951, 55, 57 and 59.

      Following his retirement as a player in the early 1960s he turned to coaching, leading former club Milan to the title in 1979 and Roma to the championship four years later.