Louis van Gaal confirms battling prostate cancer

Netherlands head coach and former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has revealed he’s being treated for prostate cancer.

The 70-year-old made the admission on a television show in the Netherlands called Humberto on Sunday evening while promoting a new documentary about his life.

Van Gaal said of his players: “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.”

He added: “I’ve been through a lot with illnesses, including with my own 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.”

Van Gaal took charge as Netherlands boss for a third time in August 2021 having previously led them to a third-placed finish at the 2014 World Cup.

He replaced Frank de Boer after a disappointing Euro 2020 campaign where the Dutch exited in the last-16 and now he is due to lead his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar later this year.