Louis van Gaal, the former Manchester United manager, who is now in command of the Netherlands national team, has revealed that he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
On Sunday, the Dutchman made the revelation on the Dutch television show Humberto.
During the recent international break, Van Gaal, 70, stated he withheld the news from his team.
“I didn’t want to inform my players about it since it may have affected their performance,” he continued.
Van Gaal is in his third season as head coach of the Netherlands; having guided them to third place in the 2014 World Cup and now to the Qatar 2022 finals.
” I had to leave in the middle of the night to go to the hospital without the players finding out. Until now, I thought I was in good health, but I’m clearly not,” he said.
Van Gaal guided Manchester United to FA Cup victory in 2016 in a two-year stint at the club before being replaced by Jose Mourinho.
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He has also won league titles with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AZ Alkmaar, and Ajax. He led Aja to a Champions League victory in 1995.
In 1995 Van Gaal’s first wife, Fernanda Obes, died of liver and pancreatic cancer, just after the league cup.
Speaking in an interview to promote a biography film of himself, Van Gaal added; “I’ve been through a lot with illnesses, including with my own wife. So that’s just part of life.”
Van Gaal is due to be in charge of the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar in November, with his side in Group A along with Senegal, Ecuador and the hosts.
Last month he called the decision to hold the tournament in the Gulf country “ridiculous” and said world football governing body Fifa had been solely motivated by “money and commercial interests”.
What you don’t know about Louis van Gaal
He is the current head coach of the Netherlands national team and a former player in Dutch football. On August 8, 1951, Aloysius Paulus Maria “Louis” van Gaal OON was born.
He managed Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United at the club level, as well as three times as manager of the Netherlands national team.
Van Gaal has won 20 major awards during his managerial career, making him one of the most distinguished managers in the history of football.
He’s known as the “Iron Tulip” on occasion.
