A good two weeks after his cancer diagnosis, soccer professional Niklas Kreuzer spoke up and thanked him for his support. “It’s overwhelming to feel this support from you,” wrote the son of former Bayern defender Oliver Kreuzer on Instagram.
“I will undergo chemotherapy in the next few weeks and I hope to be able to fight on the pitch again soon,” said the 30-year-old from third division Hallescher FC.
A tumor in the testicles was discovered in the defender on August 11th. “We are firmly convinced that Niklas will show the same fighting spirit and determination that he shows on the field when dealing with this challenge,” said HFC sports director Thomas Sobotzik.
Kreuzer is the sixth professional in Germany to have been diagnosed with cancer in the recent past. The Bundesliga players Timo Baumgartl, Marco Richter and Sébastian Haller received comparable diagnoses. Omar Sijaric from league competitor Erzgebirge Aue fought cancer for nine months. The disease also defeated Marco Russ and Benjamin Köhler.