Netherlands Coach Louis van Gaal Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
NDTV
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal on Sunday revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but he still plans to lead his team at the World Cup in Qatar in seven months' time.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal on Sunday revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but he still plans to lead his team at the World Cup in Qatar in seven months' time. The players "don't know it", the 70-year-old told RTL television, adding that he has already undergone 25 bouts of radiotherapy, including in the evening during training camps with the Dutch team. The players "think I'm in good health but I'm not", said Van Gaal, who began treatment last year after his diagnosis in 2020.
"It's part of my life," he added, in an interview marking the upcoming release of a film about his life, entitled 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."
Van Gaal, in his third term as head coach of the Dutch national side, sparked controversy last month when he described the decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar "ridiculous", accusing FIFA of having been motivated solely by "money and commercial interests".
Last week, it was announced that Van Gaal had tested positive for Covid.