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DOHA, Qatar — This World Cup wasn't part of the plan for Louis van Gaal. It was a major inconvenience. He was retired when the Dutch soccer federation asked him last year to coach the national team for a third time. He was days away from turning 70. And he was also being treated for aggressive prostate cancer. He still took the job. Van Gaal may have stepped up more out of a sense of duty than any burning personal ambition to get back into the game but it's still opened up one more chance to finally win the big prize for Netherlands.
