Cody Gakpo
Who was Cody Gakpo?
Dutch forward who plays for Liverpool and the Netherlands national team, known for his versatility across the front line and clinical finishing ability.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Cody Gakpo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Cody Mathès Gakpo was born on 7 May 1999 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. A product of the PSV Eindhoven academy, he developed through the club's youth system before making his first-team debut in February 2018. Capable of playing as a left winger or centre forward, Gakpo built a reputation for his versatility across the front line and his clinical finishing ability, qualities that made him one of the most sought-after forwards in European football during the early 2020s.
Gakpo's breakthrough at PSV came gradually, with the player earning increasing responsibilities in the first team over successive seasons. His output improved significantly each year, culminating in the 2021–22 season, in which he scored 21 goals and provided numerous assists across 47 appearances in all competitions. That season earned him the Dutch Footballer of the Year award, confirming his status as one of the Netherlands' finest attacking talents. He continued his strong form into the 2022–23 season, attracting widespread attention from Europe's top clubs.
In January 2023, Gakpo completed a transfer to Liverpool, one of England's most prominent clubs competing in the Premier League. The move represented a significant step up in his career, placing him in a high-profile squad managed at the time during a transitional period for the club. Despite joining mid-season, he made an immediate impact and demonstrated his ability to adapt to the demands of English football, reinforcing the confidence Liverpool had shown in acquiring him.
At international level, Gakpo represented the Netherlands across various youth categories, from under-18 through to under-21 level, before earning his senior debut in June 2021 during UEFA Euro 2020. He went on to become an important figure for the Dutch national team, featuring in major tournaments including the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he scored in each of the Netherlands' opening three group stage matches, briefly making him one of the tournament's standout performers.
By his mid-twenties, Gakpo had established himself as a regular starter for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team, continuing to build on the promise he had shown throughout his development at PSV. His combination of pace, technical skill, and goal-scoring instinct across multiple forward positions made him a consistent threat in both domestic and international competition.
Before Fame
Cody Gakpo grew up in Eindhoven, the industrial city in the southern Netherlands long associated with PSV Eindhoven, one of the country's most successful football clubs. He joined PSV's academy at a young age and spent his formative years in that development system, benefiting from a club culture with a strong tradition of producing technically refined, tactically intelligent forwards.
His path to prominence followed the model common among Dutch football's elite prospects, progressing through structured youth competitions and gradually integrating into senior football. During his teenage years, the Netherlands was rebuilding its national footballing identity following a period of underperformance in major international tournaments, and a new generation of technically gifted players, including Gakpo, began to emerge as the foundation for future Dutch squads.
Key Achievements
- Won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award in the 2021–22 season after scoring 21 goals in 47 appearances for PSV Eindhoven
- Scored in three consecutive group stage matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, finishing as one of the tournament's leading scorers
- Completed a transfer to Premier League club Liverpool in January 2023
- Made his senior international debut for the Netherlands at UEFA Euro 2020 in June 2021
- Established himself as a regular starter for Liverpool and the Netherlands national team across multiple forward positions
Did You Know?
- 01.Gakpo scored in each of the Netherlands' first three group stage matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, making him the first Dutch player to achieve that feat in a single World Cup tournament.
- 02.His surname reflects his Ghanaian heritage, with his family roots tracing back to West Africa, making him part of a broader wave of Dutch players with African ancestry who have shaped the modern Netherlands national team.
- 03.He won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award in 2022, becoming one of the younger recipients of the honour in its recent history.
- 04.Gakpo made his PSV first-team debut in February 2018 as a teenager, eventually working his way up to become the club's primary attacking threat before his departure to Liverpool.
- 05.He joined Liverpool in January 2023 for a fee reported to be in the region of 37 million euros, making him one of the more significant mid-season signings in the club's recent history.