It was a disappointing outing for Cody Gakpo and the rest of Liverpool’s Dutch contingent as they were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by Morocco in the Round of 32.
Gakpo got his name on the scoresheet and was subbed out later in the game as Morocco continues their dream run in the competition by winning on penalties.
It’s been a turbulent few days for the Liverpool attacker as it was announced earlier this week that him and his partner had lost their newborn son.
On the pitch, though, Gakpo gave a good account of himself with his third World Cup goal of the current edition as he equalled a record held by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo in illustrious company
Gakpo has been the Netherlands’ leading man in major tournaments, having also scored three goals in 2022.
This time around, he once again found the back of the net three times, although he won’t have a chance to add to his tally due to the Netherlands’ elimination.
By scoring against Morocco in the Round of 32, Gakpo joined Messi and Kylian Mbappe as the only players in world football to have scored at least three goals in each of their last two World Cup campaigns apiece.
In fact, he is also the Netherlands’ second-highest World Cup goalscorer of all time. With six goals to his name in the competition, only Johnny Rep (7) has more.
What does the future hold for Gakpo?
With Hugo Ekitike injured, Mohamed Salah leaving and Federico Chiesa’s future uncertain, Liverpool shouldn’t entertain the thought of offloading Gakpo this summer.
He is coming on the back of a strong World Cup campaign and is set to be available for the start of pre-season after a short holiday.
Gakpo is capable of playing out wide and centrally, making him a useful asset. Andoni Iraola’s plans remain unclear at this stage, but the Spaniard is expected to judge each of his players in pre-season before making a decision on their futures.
Gakpo’s place in the squad as a useful option for the forthcoming season is essentially a foregone conclusion.
He didn’t set the world alight last season, but that was the case with essentially the whole squad, barring Dominik Szoboszlai and Ekitike.
However, in terms of his skill set, experience and availability, he warrants a place in the squad and that goes without saying.
