April 12, (THEWILL) – Louis van Gaal, the manager of the Netherlands, has disclosed that his prostate cancer treatment has been effective.
The famed coach revealed his condition in an interview with Dutch television in April, admitting that he had an aggressive type of the cancer.
Van Gaal is in his third stint as coach of the Netherlands, having previously led Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United. He had kept his condition hidden from his team, even going to the hospital late at night without their awareness.
Van Gaal has disclosed that the treatment was a success after more than two dozen sessions of radiotherapy. He said: “I’ve been through everything. I had 25 radiation treatments. Then I had to wait five or six months to see if it had done its job. It did.”
The 70-year-old has previously commended the care he received after learning of his diagnosis, saying: “I had a great treatment. You also say it to friends and relatives, but that also says something about my family, that they keep that a secret.
“During my periods as national coach, I went to the hospital every night at night, without the players knowing.
“Look, prostate cancer doesn’t kill you. It is usually the underlying diseases that you die from. But it is an aggressive form,” he added.
“I’ve been irradiated 25 times – then you need a lot of management to get through life. But I have an incredible amount of willpower to keep going. This group of players is a gift at a later age.”
Under Van Gaal’s guidance, the Netherlands qualified for the 2022 World Cup after missing out in 2018. In the group stage, the Oranje will face hosts Qatar, AFCON champions Senegal, and Ecuador.
After the tournament, Van Gaal will step down and be replaced by Ronald Koeman, who is returning to the position after previously held it from 2018 to 2020 as THEWILL reported.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
