Netherlands coach Van Gaal fit for World Cup 2022 after successful cancer treatment
The 70-year-old former Manchester United and Barcelona manager revealed his diagnosis on a Dutch television show earlier this month.
FollowNetherlands football coach Louis van Gaal has insisted that he is fit to lead the country in the Qatar World Cup 2022 campaign after confirming that his prostate cancer treatment has been successful.
The former Manchester United and Barcelona manager had last month revealed that he had been receiving treatment since being diagnosed in 2020 but is now fit to lead the Netherlands at the showpiece event in seven months' time.
Opening up about his struggles with prostate cancer, the 70-year-old revealed that he had chemotherapy 25 times and admitted he has 'been through everything'.
"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," Van Gaal told Dutch news agency ANP.
The former Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United coach also underwent surgery.
The 70-year-old, in his third spell as Netherlands coach, is set to lead the side at the Qatar World Cup 2022 before being replaced by Ronald Koeman.
Also read: Van Dijk vows to make World Cup 2022 memorable for ailing Netherlands coach Van Gaal
Van Gaal managed the Oranje between 2000-2002 and 2012-2014 when they finished third at the World Cup in Brazil.
He then returned to the Dutch national team after the resignation of Frank de Boer in the aftermath of the country's last-16 exit from Euro 2020.
The Netherlands have been drawn in Group A along with hosts Qatar, Ecuador and Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands have confirmed that Ronald Koeman will take over as their national head coach once Van Gaal steps down from the role after the big-ticket event in Qatar.
Koeman - who was sacked by Barcelona in October 2021 after overseeing their worst start to a season since the 1987-88 campaign - will return to international management on January 1, 2023.
The former Everton boss' contract with the national side will run through the 2024 European Championship and the 2026 World Cup.
