Then I had to wait five or six months to see if it worked. It was,” he said, as quoted by Dutch news agency ANP.
Since his prostate operation in February, everything is “a question of everything + training +. It takes a little time”, he conceded.
Van Gaal revealed last Sunday that he had been suffering from prostate cancer since 2020, while assuring that the disease will not prevent him from going to Qatar for the World Cup (November 21-December 18).
The media had then reported that he had undergone 25 sessions of radiotherapy, in particular in the evening or at night during the regroupings of the “Oranje” team.
“These radiotherapy sessions were behind me before signing the contract with the KNVB (Dutch Football Federation, editor’s note)” in August, however, corrected Van Gaal, questioned by public television NOS Monday evening, at the preview of his film “Louis” in Amsterdam.
He had to undergo an operation at least February. “It must now only get better. It’s a matter of time,” he reassured.
The announcement of the illness of the former coach of Ajax Amsterdam, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, 70, had caused great emotion throughout the world of football.
“I never thought it would have had such an impact in the world,” he told NOS.
“I find it amazing. I get emotional about it, I have tears in my eyes but it also gives me energy that so many people care about me,” he added of all the tokens of support he had received.
The Dutch selection, paid in Group A of the World Cup with Qatar, Senegal and Ecuador, will play the opening match of the competition against the Senegalese Lions on November 21. Louis van Gaal intends to be in the game.
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