Holland boss Louis Van Gaal says ’25 radiation treatments’ have been successful

Crystal Palace v Manchester United – Emirates FA Cup – Final – Wembley Stadium
(Image credit: Mike Egerton)

Former Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has said the radiation treatment he has undergone for prostate cancer has been successful.

The 70-year-old, who is currently managing Holland, revealed he was battling the disease on Dutch television on April 3.

“I’ve been through everything. I had 25 radiation treatments,” Van Gaal told Dutch news agency ANP.

“Then I had to wait five or six months to see if it had done its job. It did.”

Van Gaal, whose first wife, Fernanda Obbes, died of liver and pancreatic cancer in 1994, did not tell the Holland players of his condition before speaking to Dutch broadcasters RTL.

He said: “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.”

Van Gaal won the 1995 Champions League at Ajax before having two spells at Barcelona and another at Bayern Munich.

He managed United between 2014 and 2016, winning the FA Cup in his final game in charge.

Van Gaal is in his third stint as Holland head coach and will take them to the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Ronald Koeman, the former Southampton, Everton and Barcelona boss, has already been named as Van Gaal’s successor following the World Cup.