Florian Niederlechner dedicated his goal to the family of Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich
In an emotional display on Friday evening, 1860 Munich player Florian Niederlechner scored and immediately dedicated the goal to the family of Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
Niederlechner expressed his deep sympathy for the Ulreich family following the loss of their son Len.
The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw in Essen, saw Niederlechner make a poignant gesture. “I tried so hard today to score a goal for the family,” Niederlechner said in an interview after the game. “Because I teared up a bit this morning. This is an unbelievable stroke of fate, and I feel so sorry for the family.”
The Ulreichs are mourning the death of their six-year-old son, Len, who passed away a few weeks ago. The goalkeeper and his wife, Lisa, 37, shared the tragic news on Instagram on Friday.
“In deep sorrow, we would like to announce today that our son Len passed away a few weeks ago after a long, severe illness,” the family announced on Instagram.
Lisa and Sven Ulreich at the last championship celebration
Normally, there’s little warmth between 1860 Munich and FC Bayern. However, Niederlechner’s gesture stands out as a remarkable exception.
Niederlechner, who is a father of two sons himself, explained the personal connection. “I am a Löwe [lion, a symbol of 1860 Munich] through and through, but I received a message this morning about how everyone in Germany feels for Sven Ulreich. The Niederlechner family and the Ulreich family know each other very well, and our children have played together.”
“That’s why I’m very, very happy that I managed to score a goal today, and this is for the Ulreich family. They are such a cool family. All my thoughts are with the family, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things will get better soon.”
Ulreich, who also has a daughter, Malia, 9, with Lisa, had been absent from several Bayern matches since October 2024 due to his son’s illness. He was often unable to travel for away games.
There had been speculation about a potential career-ending move for Ulreich. However, on Tuesday, Bayern announced that the reliable backup goalkeeper had extended his contract by another year, keeping him with the club until the summer of 2026.
