Cody Gakpo

PSV

For the 2016–17 season, Gakpo was part of the reserve team Jong PSV for the first time but mainly featured in the under-19 team. Gakpo made his professional debut in the Eerste Divisie for Jong PSV on 4 November 2016, in a game against Helmond Sport. 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. In the 5–1 home win against the Go Ahead Eagles on 3 December 2018, he scored the first hat-trick of his professional career. After he scored a goal and got an assist in the 5–2 home win against Almere City on 21 December, he made…

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. Gakpo made his first start for the Netherlands in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Norway on 1 September 2021, 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…

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.

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.