How is Coach Van Gaal's recovery from cancer inspiring Holland?

The Dutch representative's coach announced in April that he had subjected 25 radiation treatments due to a serious form of prostate cancer, keeping the player diagnosis secret during the World Cup qualifying campaign. Players have been unaware that he was carrying a device during training sessions and that he was spending nights at the hospital after the matches.

Van Gaal has said that the treatment “had done his work”, apparently enabled him to lead the Netherlands to the World's quarterfinal, which could be his last task in football. Blend said the 71-year-old disease and the way he managed the situation is in the mind of the players in Qatar, writes The Guardian.

“Of course it's embedded in our mind”, Ajax's defender said. “Since the first moment we didn't know about his disease. He did everything to keep it away from us. He was even lying in the hospital on nights, just so he wouldn't tell the team what he was experiencing.

We have a lot of respect for the way it's dealing with the disease right now, but it's in shape just like before. He is Louis van Gaal and he will never change. He's a big personality and we're very happy he's with us”

He always knows how to inspire players. It's in our mind, but we don't need additional motivation. We want to win every match, we play for our coach and we want to go as far as we can at”.

Blind's father, Danny, is assistant to Van Gaal at the World Cup and the pair shared a touching moment when the former Manchester United player scored Holland's second goal against the United States of America on Saturday.

I can't remember what he said to me -- he just gave me a hug. It was just a moment between son and father. We'll talk again when we drink coffee in the morning and in the evening drinking red wine”, said Blend Jr.

It's exciting to experience this together. I'm proud. This is what children dream of: marking the World Cup and playing in a World Cup. What can be said? There's so much happiness and emotions. That's why we're here”, he said. /Periscopi/