Bayern Munich star’s son dies aged six as he reveals tragedy and ‘deep sadness’

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Sven Ulreich has revealed the death of his six-year-old son.

Ulreich, 36, shared the heartbreaking update on Friday that his son Leo lost his battle with a serious illness. The German said in a statement on social media: “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.

“The decision to make this public now is incredibly difficult for us – however, it is an important step for us as a family to create clarity in our environment and also in the public eye.

“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.

“We ask the public and media representatives to be considerate and respect our privacy. We kindly ask you to refrain from further inquiries or statements. Lisa & Sven.”

Len was born in 2018, during Ulreich’s first spell at Bayern Munich. The keeper left for Hamburg in 2020 but returned to Bavaria one year later.

Ulreich, who has made 103 competitive appearances for the German giants, extended his Bayern contract just three days ago.

Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl said: “Sven Ulreich is reliability personified: he delivers what he promises – in the truest sense of the word.

“Characters like him are good for any team. We’re delighted he’ll be spending another season with us.”

In his time with the Bavarian giants he has won the Bundesliga nine times, the DFB Cup three times, the DFL Supercup six times. He has also lifted the Champions League and Uefa Super Cup.