Cody Gakpo was one of the most exciting talents in the world when he was a PSV player. The youngster was often compared to Kylian Mbappe, thanks to his incredible pace and an eye for goals, which he has simply improved on in the past few years. His overall ability is exciting, which makes his presence on the current Liverpool team incredible.
The 25-year-old has been an important member of Liverpool, with his versatility making him a valuable asset in the team’s attack.
This article delves into the key aspects of the Argentine player’s life, exploring his early years, family background, net worth, career, and more.
Full Name | Cody Mathes Gakpo |
Place of Birth | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
Date of Birth | 7 May 1999 |
Position | Forward |
Current Team | Liverpool |
Year Joined | 2023 |
Shirt Number | 18 |
Height | 6ft4 |
Cody Gakpo Profile | Early Life
Cody Gakpo was born in Stratum, just a few kilometers away from Eindhoven, where he would make a name for himself as a soccer star. As a young child with two brothers, Gakpo’s love for football became very evident at an early age, and thanks to his parents’ support, he was able to kickstart his youth career at the age of 8 when he joined the PSV youth setup.
Cody Gakpo Profile | Family
Cody Gakpo is one of the rising group of soccer players of mixed race. Gakpo was born to Johnny Gakpo, a Togolese with Ghanaian roots and a white Dutch mother, Ank. His mother was a professional rugby player for the Netherlands as a young woman, which means sports have always been a huge part of the family.
The support his parents gave him to pursue his dreams as a professional soccer star played a crucial role in Gakpo’s formative years. Even as he’s now 24, they still continue to support him through the good and bad times of his professional career. Gakpo also has two brothers, although not much has been made public about them.
Cody Gakpo | Club Career
Youth Career
Cody Gakpo’s parents developed their son’s love for football very early, and quickly sent him to the youth academy of the famous Dutch side PSV at just eight. Gakpo spent nine years at the club’s youth level until 2016, when he was sent to the U-23 team, playing in the second division of the Dutch league Jong PSV.
Gakpo developed into an all-round forward at Jong PSV, although he regularly appeared for the U-19 team. He made his debut for Jong PSV in 2016 and ended that season with just two appearances, as he was still a regular for the U-19.
The 2017–18 season was a different one for Gakpo, as he spent more time playing in the Eerste Divisie, playing 13 games and scoring seven league goals. He had more luck the following season, playing 11 games and scoring ten goals, which was enough to earn him a promotion to the first team, where he made 16 first-team appearances also in the same season, scoring just one goal.
PSV
He became a first-team regular in 2019, ending the 19-20 season with eight goals in 39 appearances in all competitions for PSV. The following season began with a bang for him, as he scored a brace in the team’s 3-1 win over Groningen. He followed it with another brace in the qualifying round of the Europa League game against NS Mura, making him a popular figure around the PSV team.
It was his best season yet in PSV colors, as he ended the season with 21 goals in all competitions, with 12 of them coming in the league and seven in Europe.
Liverpool
Cody Gakpo ended his PSV career with 55 goals in 159 appearances in all competitions, making several European teams go for him in the summer of 2022, with Manchester United and Liverpool eventually biding for him. Liverpool’s £44.3 million bid was enough to convince PSV to ship him out to Merseyside, where he penned a five-and-a-half-year contract. He ended that season with seven goals in the Premier League, including an incredible goal against Manchester United.
Although Gakpo hasn’t been as prolific as Jurgen Klopp would have wanted this season, with just three league goals, his importance to the team goes beyond goal contributions, as he always helps the team out of possession.
Cody Gakpo | International Career
Rising Dutch talent Cody Gakpo has impressed for both club and country. Since his debut on June 21, 2021, he’s amassed 21 appearances and 9 goals under Frank de Boer for the Netherlands national team, showcasing his pace and dribbling skills.
Cody Gakpo Profile | Sponsors and endorsements
Because Gakpo was a prodigy at PSV, he landed himself a sponsorship deal early enough with Puma. He has been a part of the popular sports company ever since, always donning their gear, including boots and underwear.
It is unclear how much Cody Gakpo earns from this deal, but Puma is known for paying prodigies better than Nike or Adidas, which explains why soccer stars like Neymar ditched Nike for them.
Cody Gakpo Profile | Philanthropic Activities
Cody Gakpo is not associated with any charity organization. However, according to First Sportz, the Dutchman was once involved with an organization where people donate stem cells to people who need them the most. The name of the organization is Stitching Matchis.
Cody Gakpo Profile | Records and Statistics
Considering his relatively young age and inexperience with many football clubs, Cody Gakpo’s achievements in the sport are quite limited. In terms of trophies, he has only won trophies with PSV, picking up the league title in the 2017–18 season when he made 13 senior team appearances and scored seven league goals.
He also picked up two trophies in his final season at the club; the KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield, which he also won the year before. He left PSV with 55 goals in 159 appearances, mostly from the wing. He has also scored 20 goals for Liverpool in 68 appearances in all competitions.
Teams | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
---|---|---|---|
PSV Eindhoven | 159 | 55 | 50 |
Liverpool | 68 | 20 | 8 |
PSV U19 | 32 | 8 | 5 |
PSV U21 | 25 | 17 | 6 |
Eindhoven YL | 4 | 2 | – |
PSV U17 | 2 | – | – |
Netherlands | 22 | 9 | 4 |
Cody Gakpo Profile | Net Worth and Health
Cody Gakpo’s net worth is estimated at $10 million by Soccer Souls. The Netherlands international has been on a lucrative contract since moving to Liverpool, where he currently earns an estimated £5,720,000 annually, which may go up to £6,240,000 if you add performance-related bonuses.
He also earns extra money from his sponsorship deal with the giant sports company Puma. His net worth will definitely skyrocket in a few years, especially when he develops into one of the best players in the world.
Gakpo has a clean bill of health.
Cody Gakpo Profile | Cars and Tattoos
Unlike some Liverpool stars who aren’t car enthusiasts, Cody Gakpo is a big sucker for cars. He owns a luxurious collection of cars, including an Audi Q7 and a BMW X5, an SUV, both of which are worth a combined fee of $110,000.
However, despite his young age, Cody Gakpo isn’t big on the idea of inking his body, which means he has no tattoos on his body.