The Netherlands want to give Louis van Gaal “a World Cup that you will never forget” after his cancer diagnosis.

Virgil van Dijk has 46 caps for the Netherlands

Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk says he wants to give coach Louis van Gaal “a World Cup to remember” later this year in Qatar.

Van Gaal didn’t tell his players during the recent international break, but Van Dijk said they ‘will be there for him’.

“I was in shock last night too,” he said on Monday.

Liverpool centre-back Van Dijk, 30, added: “I messaged him after the interview – it definitely says a lot about him.

“I also told him he’s probably not the type who needs a lot of sympathy, that’s how he is.”

Van Gaal began his third spell as Netherlands coach last August, having previously failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup before guiding them to third place in 2014.

The Dutch have gone nine games unbeaten since the return of the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach and qualified as group winners for Qatar 2022.

Van Dijk said: “I also told him that as a group we will definitely be there for him whenever he needs it – and hopefully we can make it a memorable World Cup for him too.”