Cody Mathรจs Gakpo (born 7 May 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a left winger or centre forward for Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team. A PSV academy graduate, he made his first-team debut in February 2018.
โฝ Early Career and PSV
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 2016โ17 season, Gakpo was part of the reserve team Jong PSV for the first time but mainly featured in the under-19 team. He made his professional debut in the Eerste Divisie for Jong PSV on 4 November 2016, in a game against Helmond Sport.
Gakpo made his first team debut for PSV as an injury-time substitute in a 3โ1 victory over Feyenoord on 25 February 2018. In the 2018โ19 season, he scored the first hat-trick of his professional career in a 5โ1 home win against Go Ahead Eagles on 3 December 2018.
๐ Breakthrough and Awards
In the 2019โ20 season, he made his breakthrough in the Eredivisie and recorded seven goals and as many assists in 25 league games. In the 2021โ22 season, he won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award after scoring 21 goals in 47 games in all competitions.
Gakpo scored the winning goal for PSV in a 2โ1 win over Ajax in the 2022 KNVB Cup final. On 31 August 2022, he scored his first hat-trick in a 7โ1 win over Volendam.
๐ด Liverpool Career
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 ยฃ35.4 and ยฃ44.3 million.
He made his debut on 7 January as a starter in a 2โ2 home draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup third round. Gakpo scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2โ0 Merseyside derby league victory over Everton on 13 February 2023.
Gakpo won his first trophy with Liverpool in the 2023โ24 season, where he was credited with key goals to take the club to its 10th EFL Cup victory. During the 2024โ25 season, Gakpo played a crucial role in their Premier League title winning season.
On 30 August 2025, Gakpo signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool.
๐ณ๐ฑ International Career
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, becoming the first Netherlands player to make his international debut at a European Championship since Martien Vreijsen in 1980.
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. He was named in the Netherlands’ squad for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, where he scored three goals and was awarded the Golden Boot in a 6-way tie.
On 27 May 2026, Gakpo was named in the Netherlands’ squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In the second group-stage match, he scored a brace and was named Man of the Match in a 5โ1 victory over Sweden, taking his tally to five goals across two World Cup tournaments.
๐ค Personal Life and Playing Style
Gakpo is a Pentecostal Christian who tries to read the Bible every day and pray every day. 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.
Usually deployed as a left winger, he is also capable of playing a more central attacking role as a centre-forward. 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.
| Category | Detail | Category | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Cody Mathรจs Gakpo | Date of Birth | 7 May 1999 |
| Position | Left winger / Centre forward | Current Club | Liverpool |
| National Team | Netherlands | Senior Debut | June 2021 (Euro 2020) |
| Major Award | Dutch Footballer of the Year (2021โ22) | First Trophy at Liverpool | 2023โ24 EFL Cup |