Legendary coach Ralph Krueger suffers from Parkinson's disease.

Former German national ice hockey player and long-time Swiss national team coach Ralph Krueger has publicly revealed that he has Parkinson's disease.

02 May 2026

From: dpa

The 66-year-old reported in an interview about CH Average from Switzerland, he said he received the diagnosis in the fall of 2024. "The disease is incurable. That's one reason why I've withdrawn even further from public life," Krueger explained. "This is the first time I'm speaking about it. It's a big step for me."

The German-Canadian, who also holds Swiss citizenship, played 45 international games for the German national team. His son Justin also made it onto the German national team. Ralph Krueger once led the Swiss national team to the top of the ice hockey world and coached the Edmonton Oilers and the Buffalo Sabres in the North American NHL. He also served as chairman of the board of the English football club Southampton FC.

"Illness is only a part of me"

To alleviate the symptoms, he does a lot of exercise. "I'm more athletic than ever," said Krueger. He has learned to accept "that this illness is only a part of me – but not everything."

Ralph Krueger suffers from Parkinson's disease. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / BRUCE BENNETT

In Parkinson's disease, there is a loss of nerve cells in the midbrain of the brainstem that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. The consequences include, above all, slowed movements and increased muscle stiffness, but also tremors and, in later stages, impaired balance.

Keywords hockey National teams Ralph Krueger