Cody Gakpo, the Liverpool and Netherlands forward, has asked for “privacy and space” after his partner Noa van der Bij announced the loss of their unborn son. Van der Bij, a model, shared the news on Saturday, posting a picture of the pair holding hands over a blanket and knitted hat. “With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy,” she wrote. “Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son.” She later posted a photo of a candle and cross, describing a visit to church and a playground where they met another child named Elijah: “There could not have been a more beautiful sign from God.”
Gakpo, who is on World Cup duty with the Netherlands, wrote: “This is an incredibly difficult time for our family. We kindly ask for our privacy and space.” The 27-year-old has started all three of his country’s group games, scoring twice against Sweden, and the Netherlands face Morocco in the last 32 on Tuesday.
“Cody Gakpo requests privacy after losing unborn son, while his Liverpool future faces uncertainty due to new signings.”
The personal grief comes at a moment of professional uncertainty. In the same week as his World Cup double, Liverpool signed winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m and expressed interest in paying £86m for RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande – both players who can operate down the left, Gakpo’s preferred position. After Liverpool’s title-winning 2024-25 campaign under Arne Slot, in which Gakpo scored 18 goals and provided seven assists across 49 games, he signed a long-term deal. But last season his numbers fell to nine goals and six assists, and his link-up with left-back Milos Kerkez has been described as needing work. Liverpool still view Gakpo as a proven Premier League attacker, and with Hugo Ekitike out until 2027 with a ruptured Achilles, his versatility to play centrally offers options for new manager Andoni Iraola. However, with the pursuit of Diomande heating up, and Florian Wirtz featuring off the left for Germany at the World Cup, Gakpo’s role at Anfield is increasingly under scrutiny.