Cody Gakpo stays with Netherlands for World Cup knockout tie after partner's pregnancy loss

Personal tragedy during the tournament

Cody Gakpo is facing one of the most difficult moments of his life while competing at the World Cup. The 27-year-old Netherlands forward and his partner, Noa van der Bij, announced on Saturday that their unborn son had died during pregnancy. Van der Bij, who is with Gakpo at the tournament, shared the news on social media: "With a broken heart we share the terrible news that our little boy died during pregnancy. Thank you for all the love and support."

Gakpo himself posted a brief message asking for privacy. The couple had revealed they were expecting their second child in late May.

Decision to stay with the team

Despite the loss, Gakpo never asked to leave the Netherlands camp. Head coach Ronald Koeman told a press conference in Monterrey that there was "never a moment" when the player wanted to go home. "We have done what was within our power in terms of support, as players, as staff," Koeman said. "The first few days he had the freedom to go out to his family and be with them. He dealt with it very well."

I don't think it'll be a heavy weight on his performance. He deals with things with his family in his own way and it's very powerful, it's beautiful.

Koeman confirmed Gakpo is available for the round-of-32 match against Morocco, which kicks off in the early hours of Tuesday European time. The forward started all three group-stage games and scored twice in the 5-1 win over Sweden.

Team-mates rally around Gakpo

Captain Virgil van Dijk, who also plays alongside Gakpo at Liverpool, praised his maturity. "He's very mature, very adult. I have lots of respect for the way he and his family are handling this," Van Dijk said. He added that the situation puts football into perspective: "It's awful news and it shows that football is secondary. There are more important things in life."

Cody deals with it and he's keen to go to the next round. He'll do whatever he can, that's where the focus lies right now.

The squad has rallied around Gakpo, but Koeman said the team will not wear black armbands against Morocco. The Dutch coach referenced a similar situation from Euro 2008, when defender Khalid Boulahrouz lost a child shortly before a quarter-final and chose to play.

The challenge of Morocco

Netherlands topped Group F after beating Sweden and Tunisia and drawing with Japan. They now face Morocco, runners-up in Group C and the reigning African champions. Morocco reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2022 and are seen as a dangerous opponent. The winner will meet co-hosts Canada in Houston on July 4.

Koeman acknowledged the difficulty of the tie but expressed confidence in his player. "He is ready to play," the coach said. The match in Monterrey will be a test of both the team's quality and their emotional resilience as they seek to advance for Gakpo and his family.