Cody Gakpo has taken centre stage for Netherlands at this World Cup, showing why there is so much interest in the 23-year-old from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The PSV winger has scored three goals in as many games in this year's World Cup, proving the shining light for Louis Van Gaal’s men.
Gakpo first burst onto the international scene at Euro 2020 after making the squad without having appeared for his nation at senior level before. Frank De Boer gave the winger his debut as a substitute in a 3-0 win over North Macedonia.
The 2021-2022 season was a special one for Cody Gakpo, who scored 21 goals in 47 appearances for PSV, including 7 on the European stage. These incredible numbers were to earn him the Dutch Footballer of the year that season.
The Dutchman’s performances didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the world either, with rumours spreading this year of interest from Premier League clubs Leeds United, Southampton and Manchester United. No deal was made and Gakpo ended up remaining at his boyhood club for the 2022-23 season.
Fast forward to the World Cup. Whole world watching? Check. Biggest stage in the world? Check. Most coveted trophy in football? Check. Cody Gakpo has taken advantage.
Netherlands first set out against Senegal, in a very tough fixture against the reigning African Cup of Nations Champions. Despite a tight first game, Gakpo finally broke the deadlock in the 84th minute of the game to send his nation into jubilation. They went on to win 2-0, getting off to the perfect possible start.
Next up was Ecuador, and once again it was a struggle for Netherlands – but Gakpo still made his mark. The winger picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and rifled it past Galindez just six minutes in to give Netherlands the lead. They would eventually fall short of victory due to an Enner Valencia equaliser, in a match where Ecuador dominated all the chances.
The Oranje did get back to winning ways though in their last group game against hosts Qatar with a comfortable 2-0 victory. Who was it to break the deadlock for a third game in a row? That man Cody Gakpo. The three group stage goals leave him as joint top scorer in the tournament, and as you can see in the poll below conducted on our twitter page 53% of you agree he has been the most impressive of the four so far.
With three in three for his nation, Cody Gakpo was inevitably going to be a name on everyone’s lips – and he certainly is. Performing on the World Cup stage is the best possible way to showcase your ability to the world, and it is only a matter of time before more top European sides are coming in for him. Will he become the 2022 James Rodriguez and get his big move? We will have to wait and see, but we certainly think he deserves it!
By Scott O'Neill
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