Louis van Gaal gives health update on his battle against prostate cancer and reveals it will be a ‘MIRACLE’ if he can go to the toilet alone again
- Louis van Gaal is waiting to see whether a recent cancer operation has been successful
- The former Man United and Netherlands manager is battling prostate cancer
- Van Gaal previously revealed that he had undergone 25 radiation treatments
Louis van Gaal has revealed he will find out during a check-up whether his recent cancer surgery has been successful in treating his condition.
The former Manchester United manager shocked the world football world when he revealed he was battling prostate cancer ahead of last year’s Qatar World Cup.
He explained in a live television appearance that 25 radiation treatments have been carried out to treat the aggressive form of prostate cancer, and that another medical procedure Van Gaal hopes to bring good news.
The 72-year-old explained that the unfortunate physical toll of the disease and subsequent medical treatments means he needs help going to the toilet, and insisted it would be a ‘miracle’ if he could regain independence.
Van Gaal explains that he will find out whether the recent operation is a success when he returns to hospital on Tuesday, September 19: ‘How am I doing? Well, I had surgery two or three weeks ago.
Louis Van Gaal (left) has given an update on his ongoing battle with cancer after recent surgery
Van Gaal (right) led the Netherlands to the World Cup last year in the fight against prostate cancer
‘They have tried to sort everything out, with details that I won’t bore you with, but now we have to wait and see.
‘I have to go back on September 19 and everything will be decided then – and then a miracle could happen that I can go to the toilet alone again.’
Van Gaal resigned as national coach of the Netherlands for the second time in his career after last year’s World Cup.
Eventual winners Argentina eliminated them in a thrilling quarter-final, which was decided on penalties. Ronald Koeman has since taken charge of the national team.
However, Van Gaal sparked recent controversy when he suggested the World Cup was rigged to give Lionel Messi a fairytale moment in the Middle East.
He said: ‘I don’t really want to say much about it. “When you see how Argentina scores the goals and how we score the goals, and how some Argentinian players crossed the line and were not punished, I think it was all a premeditated game.”
Van Gaal explained that he will know on September 19 whether the recent operation was a success
Liverpool and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk rejected those claims, stating that he and the team ‘do not share the same views’ as their former manager.
Van Gaal’s cancer is aggressive and previously kept his diagnosis hidden from players as he strove to lead them to the World Cup.
His most recent role in club management came in the Premier League when he got the United job in 2014.
He spent two years at Old Trafford and won the FA Cup in his last game at the helm when his side defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 at Wembley.