Two days. That was the time that passed between the most devastating announcement of his life and the moment Cody Gakpo stepped onto the pitch at Monterrey stadium against Morocco. The 27-year-old Liverpool forward had lost his baby, Elijah Raphael, in the fifth month of pregnancy — a loss that his partner Noa van der Bij made public on June 28. Gakpo chose to stay. He chose to play. 🤍
In the 72nd minute, he received the ball, finished, and made it 1-0 for the Netherlands. But there was no celebration. He dropped to his knees on the ground, rested his forehead on the grass, and looked up at the sky. His teammates ran toward him knowing exactly what was behind that goal — and they all hugged him at once. 😢
The Netherlands ended up being eliminated on penalties (3-2) after Morocco equalized in the 90+1, but no one talked about the result. Head coach Ronald Koeman and captain Virgil van Dijk praised Gakpo’s bravery. Noa, from afar, posted the photo of him looking at the sky and wrote that she was proud. Elijah Raphael had his dedication. ❤️
