Netherlands national football team coach Louis van Gaal has revealed that he is suffering from prostate cancer.
Netherlands national football team coach Louis van Gaal has revealed that he is being treated for an aggressive form of prostate cancer, but still has plans to lead the team to the World Cup in Qatar in November.
Van Gaal told Dutch talk show “Humberto” on Sunday night that the team’s players were not aware of his diagnosis, even though he was receiving nighttime treatment during four training camps.
“You don’t tell the people you work with because it could affect their choices, their energy or whatever, and I thought, they shouldn’t know,” he said.
He said he has had 25 radiation therapy treatments.
The 70-year-old coach said, “I have been to the hospital every period in the evening or at night without knowing the players.”
Van Gaal lost his first wife to cancer.
“It is part of life. I have experienced a lot in my family, in my wife, with illness and death,” he said. “I have probably been enriched as a person by all the experiences that I have had with it. have done.”
Van Gaal is in his third stint as coach of the Netherlands. He led the team to the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He has also coached clubs including Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Ajax, which led the Amsterdam club to the Champions League title in 1995.
He did not attend last week’s World Cup draw in Qatar after testing positive for COVID-19. The Netherlands were drawn to play hosts Qatar, Senegal and Ecuador. Before the draw, Van Gaal said it was ridiculous that the tournament was being played in Qatar.
Manchester United posted support for Van Gaal on Twitter.
“Everyone at Manchester United is behind our former manager, Louis van Gaal, in the fight against cancer. Sending you strength and courage, Louis,” the club wrote.
UEFA also sent out greetings via Twitter, and the official Dutch pro site “Ons Oranje” tweeted an orange heart above a photo of van Gaal.