Touching moment as Cody Gakpo gets emotional while Netherlands players cheer an important goal
After scoring the first goal for the Netherlands in their Round of 32 match against Morocco, Cody Gakpo was quickly surrounded by his teammates as tears filled his eyes. Earlier this week, Gakpo shared the sad news on social media that he and his partner, Noa van der Bij, had lost their baby during pregnancy. Despite this heartbreak, the 27-year-old winger chose to stay with the national team at the World Cup and said he was ready for the match against Morocco.
Just two days after his social media post, Gakpo scored an important opening goal to help the Netherlands take the lead against the African champions. The goal came when Crysencio Summerville made a quick run and passed the ball to Gakpo, who shot it in and then dropped to his knees. His teammates rushed over to comfort him, and when he stood up, tears were rolling down his face as he pointed to the sky in memory of his loss.
With this goal, Gakpo became one of the top World Cup scorers for the Netherlands, tying with famous players like Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, and Dennis Bergkamp with six goals. Only Johnny Rep scored more, with seven goals.
Before the game, Liverpool and Netherlands captain Virgil Van Dijk showed his support, saying that football was not the most important thing right now, and praising how Gakpo and Noa were handling their pain. “The most important thing is to ask, ‘What do you need?’” Van Dijk said. “It’s such sad news, and it reminds us that football comes second. There are bigger things in life. Cody is dealing with it, and he wants to help the team move forward. I really respect how mature he’s been through all this.”
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman shared the same feelings, calling Gakpo a “strong” man. “We all felt very sad when we heard the news,” Koeman said. “We supported Cody as much as we could, allowing him time to be with his family. Through it all, he never said he wanted to leave. That shows how mature he is. I don’t think this will affect his game. He handles things with his family in his own way, and that’s very powerful. We’re here for him, and his teammates are too.”