Tragedy Hits Bayern Munich as Star Player Announces Death of Six-Year-Old Son
- Bayern Munich goalkeeper Sven Ulreich’s six-year-old son, Len, has passed away after a prolonged battle with illness
- The Bundesliga champions and football community have rallied around the veteran goalkeeper and his family after the loss
- Ulreich recently signed a contract extension just days before revealing his family’s heartbreaking tragedy
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Sven Ulreich is mourning the heartbreaking loss of his six-year-old son, Len, who passed away after a prolonged battle with a serious illness.
The 36-year-old German goalie shared the tragic news in an emotional statement on social media, asking for privacy as his family navigates the sad loss.
Source: Getty Images
Ulreich, who has had two spells with Bayern Munich, said making the announcement public was an incredibly difficult decision, but a necessary step for his family to find closure, according to talkSPORT.
Ulreich’s releases heartfelt statement
In his Instagram post, Ulreich disclosed that his son Len succumbed to a long and serious illness, which the family had been battling privately for months.
Source: Getty Images
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper and his wife Lisa, explained that they delayed going public to protect their privacy during the most painful period of their lives, per The Mirror.
"It is with deep sadness that we would like to announce today that our son Len passed away a few weeks ago after a long, serious illness," Ulreich wrote.
"Together with our daughter, we are now trying to find our way back to life step by step. Special thanks go to our families, friends, and FC Bayern Munich for their discretion and great support over the past few months – that means a lot to us."
To manage the situation privately, Ulreich disabled the comment section of his post, while also pleading with the public and media to respect his family’s grief and refrain from further inquiries.
Bayern Munich offers support to grieving goalkeeper
The tragic news has sent shockwaves through Bayern Munich and the wider football community, with tributes and condolences pouring in for the goalkeeper and his family.
The Bundesliga champions, who have supported Ulreich throughout the ordeal, are expected to pay formal respects to his son during upcoming fixtures.
Ulreich, who first joined Bayern from VfB Stuttgart in 2015, has made over 100 appearances for the German club across two separate spells.
The 36-year-old goalkeeper signed a contract extension just three days before revealing the tragic news.
Despite his limited appearances last season, featuring only twice, once in the Bundesliga and once in the Champions League, he remains a respected figure in the dressing room.
The goalkeeper was even spotted at an open training session on Wednesday as Vincent Kompany’s squad prepares for the DFL-Supercup clash against Stuttgart on August 16.
The Bundesliga champions are expected to dedicate tributes to the Ulreich family in the coming days.
Young Nigerian footballer dies in England
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that a young Nigerian footballer, Ethan Ade-Oduwale, has sadly passed away at the age of 10 in Charlton Athletic Football Club’s academy in England.
Ade-Oduwale, until his death, was a member of Charlton’s U10 team, where he was cherished by the coaches, teammates and other staff because of his smile.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
