ENGLAND legend John Barnes MBE has revealed that he battled with prostate cancer and “not many people know”.
His shock news comes after two other Liverpool legends Sir Kenny Dalglish and Kevin Keegan also shared that they had the deadly disease.
The famous left-winger said he was diagnosed after his kids forced him to get checked.
Barnes, 62 and now a pundit for ESPN, said the topic can feel taboo as men believe it makes them “less than a man”.
Speaking to Jane and Fi on Times Radio, he added: “Men have to then bite the bullet and swallow their pride and admit if they have problems and say it. So it’s a good thing that that has come out.
“I’m fine. I have my PSA and everything is okay. The thing about it is that a lot of men don’t want to admit it or want to have it done because it makes them feel less than a man.
“But you’re not, you’re exactly the same, you’re the same person and you’re around and that’s the main thing.”
Barnes’ diagnosis follows an invite for all black men between the ages of 45 and 74 to take part in a prostate cancer screening trial.
He said the government initiative was a “good thing” as the risk “in African-Caribbean and black men, it’s probably higher.”
The move is despite a recent recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee that most men shouldn’t be offered regular testing for the disease.
The committee stated that the harms of the PSA blood test – including difficulty controlling your bladder or having an erection – outweigh the benefits.
Every year 64,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK and 12,000 men die, making it the most common cancer for men.
While one in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime, for black men this risk doubles to one in four.
The government has pledged £18million to the Transform Trial to allow more black men to be invited to take part.
Considered one of the greatest England players of all time, Barnes was born in Jamaica and moved to London aged 12.
He joined Watford at age 17 and played 296 competitive games for the club before moving to Liverpool in 1987.
In 1983 the football legend debuted for England and made 78 appearances until his final game in 1995.
While Barnes was playing for Liverpool, the team topped the First Division twice and won the FA Cup twice.
He scored 106 goals in 403 matches – more than any other black England player.
Now his former manager, Kenny Dalglish, has revealed his own battle with cancer.
The Liverpool FC icon – who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time – posted on social media to say his treatment is going well.
Kevin Keegan has also spoken out about his cancer diagnosis at the start of the year.
The former England striker and manager was admitted to hospital after experiencing abdominal symptoms and started treatment, his family said
