'Get well soon': Wishes pour in for Louis van Gaal after ex-Man United boss confirms cancer diagnosis

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, on Sunday, confirmed he is receiving treatment for prostate cancer. The 70-year-old Dutchman, currently in charge of the Netherlands national team, made the announcement on Dutch TV programme Humberto and said he had kept the news from his side during the recent international break.

"I didn't want to tell it to my players because it could have influenced their performances," the ex-Manchester United boss added.

Having led the Netherlands to third place in the 2014 World Cup, van Gaal is now in his third spell as the team's head coach and has led them to the Qatar World Cup 2022 as well. Netherlands have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Qatar, Africa Cup of Nation champions Senegal and Ecuador.

"In each period during my time as manager of the national team, I had to leave in the night to go to the hospital without the players finding it out until now. While thinking I was healthy, but.. I am not," the Dutchman added.

In a two-year spell at Manchester United, Van Gaal led the Red Devils to FA Cup success in 2016 before he was replaced by Jose Mourinho. The veteran coach has also won league titles with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AZ Alkmaar and Ajax, where he led the Dutch side to Champions League glory in 1995.

The victory came a year after Van Gaal's first wife, Fernanda Obbes, passed away after she was diagnosed with liver and pancreatic cancer.

Speaking in an interview to promote a new film about his life, Van Gaal 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."

Following this news, Manchester United, football legends, pundits and fans took to Twitter to wish their former manager a speedy recovery. Here's a look at some of the reactions: