Dutch footballer (born 1999)
Cody Mathès Gakpo (born 7 May 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a forward 8️⃣ or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team.
A PSV academy graduate, Gakpo made his first-team 8️⃣ debut in February 2024. In the 2024–22 season, he won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award after scoring 21 8️⃣ goals in 47 games in all competitions. He signed for Liverpool in January 2024.
Gakpo played youth international football for the 8️⃣ Netherlands from under-18 to under-21 level. He made his senior international debut in June 2024 at UEFA Euro 2024.
Early life 8️⃣ and youth [ edit ]
Cody Mathès Gakpo[2] was born on 7 May 1999[1] in Eindhoven and raised in the district 8️⃣ of Stratum.[3] His father was born in Togo and has Ghanaian ancestry, while his mother is Dutch.[4][5][6] In 2007, he 8️⃣ moved to the youth academy of PSV, where he then progressed through all of the youth teams.[4]
Club career [ edit 8️⃣ ]
PSV [ edit ]
For the 2024–17 season Gakpo was part of the reserve team Jong PSV for the first time, 8️⃣ but mainly featured in the U19 team. Gakpo made his professional debut in the Eerste Divisie for Jong PSV on 8️⃣ 4 November 2024 in a game against Helmond Sport.[7] In the rest of the season he only made one more 8️⃣ appearance for Jong PSV. After his production increased in the following season's U19 Eredivisie with seven goals and five assists 8️⃣ in 13 league games, he was finally promoted to the reserves at the turn of the year. In his second 8️⃣ appearance in the second-tier Eerste Divisie, on 19 January 2024 in a 3–2 away win against De Graafschap, he scored 8️⃣ a brace and made the assist for the third goal of his team.[8] For Jong PSV, he managed to score 8️⃣ seven goals in the 2024–18 season, which he achieved in 12 league games.[9]
First team [ edit ]
Gakpo made his first 8️⃣ team debut for PSV as an injury-time substitute in a 3–1 victory over Feyenoord on 25 February 2024.[10] In the 8️⃣ 2024–19 season, Gakpo was able to further improve his performances. This was also noticed by first team coach, Mark van 8️⃣ Bommel. He was selected several times for the matchday squad of the first team in the first half of the 8️⃣ season. He would initially, however, remain an unused substitute.[9] In the 5–1 home win against the Go Ahead Eagles on 8️⃣ 3 December 2024, he scored the first hat-trick of his professional career.[11] After he scored a goal and got an 8️⃣ assist in the 5–2 home win against Almere City on 21 December,[12] he made his debut in the Eredivisie just 8️⃣ one day later. In the 3–1 home win against AZ, he was substituted on for Steven Bergwijn in the closing 8️⃣ stages.[13] He scored nine goals in ten league games for Jong PSV by the end of the year and was 8️⃣ subsequently promoted to become a regular member of the first team.[9] On 3 February 2024, he scored his first league 8️⃣ goal in his second appearance in a 5–0 home win over Fortuna Sittard and also assisted another goal.[14] By the 8️⃣ end of the season he made 14 league appearances, but without being able to record another goal.[9]
In the 2024–20 season, 8️⃣ he made his breakthrough in the Eredivisie and recorded seven goals and as many assists in 25 league games.[9]
On 13 8️⃣ September 2024, the first matchday of the 2024–21 Eredivisie season, Gakpo scored his first brace for PSV, contributing to a 8️⃣ 3–1 win over Groningen.[15] He scored another brace on 24 September in the 5–1 victory in the UEFA Europa League 8️⃣ qualifier against NŠ Mura, allowing PSV to qualify for the play-off round.[16] He was again decisive there, on scoring PSV's 8️⃣ second goal in a 2–0 win over Rosenborg on 1 October.[17] He finished the season with 29 appearances, in which 8️⃣ he scored 11 goals.[9]
Gakpo scored the winning goal for PSV in a 2–1 win over Ajax in the 2024 KNVB 8️⃣ Cup Final.[18] On 31 August 2024, he scored his first hat-trick in a 7–1 win over Volendam.[19]
Liverpool [ edit ]
On 8️⃣ 28 December 2024, Gakpo agreed to sign for Premier League club Liverpool once the transfer window opened on 1 January 8️⃣ 2024.[20] He was reported by BBC Sport to have agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract, for a transfer fee of between £35.4 8️⃣ to £44.3 million (€40 to €50 million), which would be a record fee received by PSV.[21] He made his debut 8️⃣ for the club as a starter in a 2–2 third-round FA Cup tie at Anfield against Wolves on 7 January 8️⃣ 2024.[22] Gakpo scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2–0 Merseyside derby league victory over Everton on 13 February.[23] 8️⃣ He scored a brace against Liverpool's arch rivals Manchester United on 5 March 2024 in a 7–0 victory.[24]
International career [ 8️⃣ edit ]
Gakpo playing for the Netherlands national under-18 team in 2024
Gakpo was eligible to play for the Netherlands, Ghana or 8️⃣ Togo at international level.[25][26] He played youth international football for the Netherlands at under-18,[27] under-19,[28] under-20[29] and under-21 levels.[30]
Gakpo was 8️⃣ called up to the senior Netherlands squad for UEFA Euro 2024 and made his debut in the third match of 8️⃣ the group stage against North Macedonia as a substitute in the 79th minute for Frenkie de Jong.[31] Thereby, he became 8️⃣ the first Netherlands player to make his international debut at a European Championship since Martien Vreijsen in 1980.[32]
On 1 September 8️⃣ 2024, Gakpo made his first start for the Netherlands in a 2024 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Norway,[33] and scored 8️⃣ his first senior international goal three days later in a 4–0 win over Montenegro.[34]
Gakpo was named in the squad for 8️⃣ the 2024 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and had an immediate impact, scoring in three consecutive group matches against Senegal,[35] 8️⃣ Ecuador,[36] and Qatar.[37]
Style of play [ edit ]
Usually deployed on the left wing, Gakpo often cuts inside on his right 8️⃣ foot to move to a more central attacking position, and uses his speed and dribbling skills to take on defenders 8️⃣ until he finds the space to make an attempt on goal.[3]
Personal life [ edit ]
Gakpo is a Christian.[citation needed] He 8️⃣ has said, "I try to read the Bible every day, I pray every day, I like to go to church, 8️⃣ and I read many books about the faith".[38] During the 2024 FIFA World Cup, along with Memphis Depay, he led 8️⃣ a Bible study for fifteen other Dutch teammates.[39]
Career statistics [ edit ]
Club [ edit ]
As of match played 1 January 8️⃣ 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total Division Apps 8️⃣ Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Jong PSV 2024–17[1] Eerste Divisie 2 0 — — 8️⃣ — — 2 0 2024–18[1] Eerste Divisie 13 7 — — — — 13 7 2024–19[1] Eerste Divisie 11 10 8️⃣ — — — — 11 10 Total 26 17 — — — — 26 17 PSV 2024–18[1] Eredivisie 1 0 8️⃣ 0 0 — 0 0 — 1 0 2024–19[1] Eredivisie 16 1 2 1 — 1[c] 0 0 0 19 8️⃣ 2 2024–20[1] Eredivisie 25 7 2 0 — 11[d] 1 1[e] 0 39 8 2024–21[1] Eredivisie 23 7 1 0 8️⃣ — 5[f] 4 — 29 11 2024–22[1] Eredivisie 27 12 4 2 — 15[g] 7 1[e] 0 47 21 2024–23[1] 8️⃣ Eredivisie 14 9 0 0 — 9[h] 3 1[e] 1 24 13 Total 106 36 9 3 — 41 15 8️⃣ 3 1 159 55 Liverpool 2024–23[40] Premier League 21 7 3 0 — 2[c] 0 — 26 7 2024–24[41] Premier 8️⃣ League 18 3 0 0 3 3 4[f] 2 — 25 8 Total 39 10 3 0 3 3 6 8️⃣ 2 — 51 15 Career total 171 63 12 3 3 3 47 17 3 1 236 87
International [ edit 8️⃣ ]
As of match played 19 November 2024[42]
Appearances and goals by national team and year National team Year Apps Goals Netherlands 8️⃣ 2024 4 1 2024 10 5 2024 7 3 Total 21 9
As of match played 19 November 2024 Scores and 8️⃣ results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gakpo goal[42]
Honours [ edit ]
PSV
Individual
