Cody Gakpo

Cody Mathès Gakpo (; born 7 May 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a left winger or centre forward for club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team.

A PSV academy graduate, Gakpo made his first-team debut in February 2018. In the 2021–22 season, he won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award after scoring 21 goals in 47 games in all competitions. He signed for Liverpool in January 2023.

Gakpo played youth international football for the Netherlands from under-18 to under-21 level. He made his senior international debut in June 2021 at UEFA Euro 2020.

Early life Gakpo was born in Eindhoven and raised in the district of Stratum. His father was born in Togo and has Ghanaian ancestry, while his mother is Dutch. In 2007, he moved to the youth academy of PSV, where he then progressed through all of the youth teams. For the rest of the season, he only made one more appearance for Jong PSV. After his production increased in the following season's U19 Eredivisie with seven goals and five assists in 13 league games, he was finally promoted to the reserves at the turn of the year. In his second appearance in the second-tier Eerste Divisie, on 19 January 2017, in a 3–2 away win against De Graafschap, he scored a brace and made the assist for the third goal of his team. For Jong PSV, he managed to score seven goals in the 2017–18 season, which he achieved in 12 league games.

First team Gakpo made his first team debut for PSV as an injury-time substitute in a 3–1 victory over Feyenoord on 25 February 2018. In the 2018–19 season, Gakpo was able to further improve his performances. This was also noticed by first team coach, Mark van Bommel. He was selected several times for the matchday squad of the first team in the first half of the season. He would initially, however, remain an unused substitute. After he scored a goal and got an assist in the 5–2 home win against Almere City on 21 December, he made his debut in the Eredivisie just one day later. In the 3–1 home win against AZ, he was substituted on for Steven Bergwijn in the closing stages. He scored nine goals in ten league games for Jong PSV by the end of the year and was subsequently promoted to become a regular member of the first team. By the end of the season he made 14 league appearances, but without being able to record another goal. He scored another brace on 24 September in the 5–1 victory in the UEFA Europa League qualifier against NŠ Mura, allowing PSV to qualify for the play-off round. He was again decisive there, on scoring PSV's second goal in a 2–0 win over Rosenborg on 1 October. He finished the season with 29 appearances, in which he scored 11 goals. On 31 August 2022, he scored his first hat-trick in a 7–1 win over Volendam.

Liverpool

On 28 December 2022, Gakpo agreed to sign for Premier League club Liverpool once the transfer window opened on 1 January 2023. He was reported by BBC Sport to have agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract, for a transfer fee of between £35.4 and £44.3 million (€40 to €50 million), which would be a record fee received by PSV. He made his debut on 7 January as a starter in a 2–2 home draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup third round. Gakpo scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2–0 Merseyside derby league victory over Everton on 13 February 2023.

Gakpo won his first trophy with Liverpool in the 2023–24 season, where he was credited with key goals to take the club to its 10th EFL Cup victory as the competition's second-highest goalscorer.

Gakpo scored the equaliser in Liverpool's 2–2 draw with Manchester United on 5 January 2025. During the 2024–25 season, Gakpo played a crucial role in their Premier League title winning season. He scored Liverpool's third in an 5–1 win against Tottenham Hotspur, after which the league title was secured in his first season under new manager and fellow countryman Arne Slot.

On 30 August 2025, Gakpo signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool. A year later, on 31 August, Liverpool rejected an £80 million bid from Manchester City for Gakpo, as they were unable to find a replacement before the end of the transfer window.

International career Youth

Gakpo was eligible to play for the Netherlands, Ghana or Togo at international level. He played youth international football for the Netherlands at under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels.

Senior Gakpo was called up to the senior Netherlands squad for UEFA Euro 2020 and debuted in the third match of the group stage against North Macedonia as a substitute in the 79th minute for Frenkie de Jong. As a result, he became the first Netherlands player to make his international debut at a European Championship since Martien Vreijsen in 1980. and scored his first senior international goal three days later in a 4–0 win over Montenegro.

Gakpo was called up to represent the Netherlands at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and had an immediate impact, scoring in three consecutive group stage matches against Senegal, Ecuador, and Qatar.

Gakpo was named in the Netherlands' squad for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany. He was named player of the match in their opening 2–1 victory over Poland, in which he scored his country's first goal of the tournament. He received the honour again for their round of 16 match against Romania, where he scored the first goal and provided an assist in a 3–0 victory. With three goals in the tournament, Gakpo was awarded the Golden Boot in a 6-way tie.

On 27 May 2026, Gapko was named in the Netherlands' squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In the second group-stage match of the World Cup, he scored a brace and was named Man of the Match in a 5–1 victory over Sweden, taking his tally to five goals across two World Cup tournaments. In the Round of 32 against Morocco, he also scored in a match that ended in a penalty shoot-out defeat, bringing his total to six World Cup goals, only behind Johnny Rep among Dutch players.

Style of play Usually deployed as a left winger, he is also capable of playing a more central attacking role as a centre-forward. However, during his early time at Liverpool he was mostly deployed out of his natural position on the left wing and initially played most of his minutes in a midfield and centre forward role. Gakpo often cuts inside on his right foot to move to a more central attacking position, and uses his speed and dribbling skills to take on defenders until he finds the space to make an attempt on goal. He has said, "I try to read the Bible every day, I pray every day, I like to go to church, and I read many books about the faith". During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, along with Memphis Depay, he led a Bible study for fifteen other Dutch teammates.

He welcomed his first child, a boy, in April 2024 with his partner Noa van der Bij. His partner had a miscarriage in June 2026.

Career statistics Club

International

Scores and results list the Netherlands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gakpo goal

Honours PSV Eredivisie: 2017–18 KNVB Cup: 2021–22 Johan Cruyff Shield: 2021, 2022

Liverpool Premier League: 2024–25 EFL Cup: 2023–24; runner-up: 2024–25

Individual Dutch Footballer of the Year: 2021–22 Eredivisie Player of the Month: September 2022, October 2022 BBC Goal of the Month: January 2025 UEFA European Football Championship Top Goalscorer: 2024 (shared)