The head coach of the Netherlands national team, Louis van Gaal, has confirmed that he is being treated for prostate cancer. The 70-year-old Dutch tactician who is preparing the country’s football team for the forthcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, confirmed this via a television show in the Netherlands called Humberto on Sunday evening, April 3, 2022.
Louis van Gaal is one of the most successful football coaches in the world, especially at the club level. He has coached Ajax, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United.
He has coached the Netherlands twice before he was appointed the coach of the country in August 2021, about a month after the European Championship.
On Sunday, Louis van Gaal appeared on a Dutch television show to promote a documentary about his life. While speaking on the show, the veteran coach disclosed that he has been battling a lot of illnesses.
He compared the ill health of his wife, Truus to the health challenges he has been battling, adding that his players didn’t know that he was struggling with a health issue.
Louis van Gaal said: “They don’t know. They see a blush on my cheeks and think, ‘what a healthy (person) that is. That is of course not the case.
“I’ve been through a lot with illnesses, including with my wife. So that’s just part of life.
“(I) as a human being have probably become richer because of all those experiences. I thought that should also be in the film.”
Louis van Gaal will lead the Netherlands to the World Cup despite his health challenges
The fact that Van Gaal is currently being treated for prostate cancer would not stop him from leading the Netherlands to the FIFA World Cup.
Recall that he led the country to a third-place finish in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and is expected to take the country a step closer to the trophy this time around.
The Netherlands have been drawn in Group A alongside the hosts, Qatar, African reigning champions, Senegal, and Ecuador. The competition is expected to commence in November and end in December 2022.
Manchester United wishes Van Gaal well
Immediately Louis van Gaal confirmed that he is battling prostate cancer, Manchester United took to their verified Twitter page to wish him a speedy recovery.
Recall that Van Gaal coached Manchester United between 2014 and 2016. During his era at the club, he won one FA Cup before the Premier League club sacked him.
Recently, Van Gaal was quoted as saying that the current coach of Ajax, Erik Ten Hag should not join Manchester United. The 70-year-old coach went as far as describing the Premier League club as a commercial club.
Despite dragging the club in the mud, the Premier League side still took to Twitter to send him a message of support.
The club tweeted: “Everybody at Manchester United is fully behind our former manager, Louis van Gaal, in his battle against cancer. Sending you strength and courage, Louis.”
Everybody at Manchester United is fully behind our former manager, Louis van Gaal, in his battle against cancer.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 3, 2022
Sending you strength and courage, Louis ❤️ pic.twitter.com/axcB7mV5To
It might interest you to note that Louis van Gaal’s first wife, Fernanda Obbes died of liver and pancreatic cancer in 1994. Before she died, she and Van Gaal had two daughters, Brenda and Renate.
The Dutch tactician waited until 2008 before he decided to remarry. Since then, he has been living with Truus mostly in Portugal whenever he is not on an official assignment.
