On Sunday, Netherlands head coach Louis van Gaal announced that he’d been identified with prostate cancer, but he’s still hoping to be the team’s leader at the World Cup in Qatar in seven months.
They “don’t know it,” the 70-year-old said on RTL television and added that he’s already gone through 25 sessions of radiotherapy, which included in the evenings at training camps for members of the Dutch team.
Players “think I’m in good health, but I’m not,” stated Van Gaal, who began treatment in the year following his diagnosis in the year 2020.
“It’s part of my life,” He said in an interview to celebrate the imminent release of a documentary about his life. It’s called Louis.
“I’ve been through so much in my life, sickness and death, I’ve probably become richer as a person because of all those experiences.”
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In his third term as the head coach of the Dutch national team, Van Gaal created controversy in the last month when he said that the decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar was “ridiculous” and accused FIFA of being motivated only by “money and commercial interests.”
In the last week, the news was that Van Gaal had tested positive for Covid in 2021, the ex- Barcelona and Manchester United boss broke his hip after falling off his bike.
The Netherlands was drawn in Group A alongside the hosts Qatar, Ecuador, and Senegal in the draw drawn on Friday in the 2022 World Cup in Doha.
His former side, Manchester United, which he managed from 2014 to 2016, was among those who wished the veteran a quick recovery.
“Everybody at Manchester United is fully behind our former manager, Louis van Gaal, in his battle against cancer. Sending you strength and courage, Louis,” the English giants posted on Twitter.
The former England striker Gary Lineker tweeted: “Sending best wishes and hopes for a full recovery to Louis Van Gaal, who announced on Dutch television tonight that he’s battling prostate cancer.”
Surprising return to Dutch job
Van Gaal returned to the Dutch national team following the resignation of Frank de Boer after the country’s disappointing final-16 withdrawal from Euro 2020.
The uncompromising Van Gaal managed the Oranje between 2000 and 2002 and 2012-2014, where they placed third in the World Cup in Brazil.
“Dutch football has always been close to my heart and national coaching is in my view a key position for the further advancement of our football. Moreover, I consider it an honour to coach the Dutch national team,” Van Gaal said when he announced his return.
In the first year of Van Gaal’s tenure as manager, the Dutch could not qualify for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
He was then able to accept an assistant coach position at Manchester United but was abruptly dismissed by the club just two weeks after winning the FA Cup in 2016.
Van Gaal, at the time, declared that having won Van Gaal at the time, said winning FA Cup with the Red Devils “was the greatest achievement of my career.”
The often blunt and direct Van Gaal had announced his “retirement” in January 2017.
In Barcelona 1997-2000, he was awarded 2 La Liga titles in his time at Barcelona. He was back with his former club Spanish big-name team, in the year 2002, but the lack of success in his stay forced him to go out early in the following year.
He was also the head of operations of Bayern Munich from 2009-to 2011.
“We do not die of prostate cancer, in most cases. Most often, these are underlying diseases that can be fatal in this form of cancer,” Van Gaal said. Van Gaal.
