Cody Gakpo World Cup Tribute: A Goal in Tears
Jun
Cody Gakpo World Cup tribute moments don’t come more raw than this. In the 72nd minute of the Netherlands’ Round of 32 clash with Morocco at the 2026 World Cup, Gakpo scored — then sank to his knees in tears as his teammates rushed to surround him.
It wasn’t a celebration. It was a tribute to his son.
A Cody Gakpo World Cup Tribute Born From Loss
Two days before kickoff, Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, shared devastating news: the couple had lost their unborn son, Elijah Raphael, who had been due in October. Van der Bij posted the announcement on Instagram, and Gakpo reshared it, asking fans for privacy during an incredibly difficult time for their family.
The Dutch Football Association confirmed Gakpo would continue with the squad at the World Cup, with his full support and that of his teammates behind him. Head coach Ronald Koeman told reporters Gakpo had handled the situation with maturity, and that the team would simply be there for him in whatever way he needed.
Many assumed Gakpo would fly home. Instead, he stayed with the Oranje camp through their biggest match of the tournament so far — and what followed became one of the most talked-about Cody Gakpo World Cup tribute scenes of the entire 2026 tournament.
The 72nd Minute
Morocco had been a defensive wall for most of the match, absorbing pressure and limiting clear chances. Then Wout Weghorst flicked a header into the path of Crysencio Summerville, who drove down the flank and whipped in a cross. Gakpo arrived on time and finished it past Yassine Bounou to put the Netherlands 1-0 up.
There was no sprint to the corner flag. Gakpo dropped to the ground, hands over his face, before looking up and pointing to the sky. Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the Dutch squad formed a circle around him almost instantly, holding him as the stadium roared around them.
It was, by every account from those who watched it live, one of the most emotional scenes the 2026 World Cup has produced.
What Happened Next in the Match
Morocco leveled the score, and the match went to penalties. Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville all missed from the spot, and Morocco’s Ismael Saibari converted the decisive kick to send the Netherlands home. It marked the earliest World Cup exit in Dutch football history, according to NL Times.
For Gakpo, though, the result almost felt secondary to what his goal represented. Footage of the moment spread quickly, and the response from fans, rival clubs, and the football world at large was overwhelmingly one of empathy rather than analysis of the scoreline.
Why This Inspiring Cody Gakpo World Cup Tribute Resonated
Professional athletes are often framed as larger than life — untouchable, unbreakable, defined entirely by performance. Gakpo’s goal, and the way his teammates closed ranks around him in the seconds after, was a reminder that the people on the pitch are carrying full lives outside of it.
Van Dijk later said the only thing that mattered in that moment was checking in on Gakpo as a person, not as a player — that football, in the end, comes second to that. It’s a sentiment that struck a chord well outside the usual football conversation, in part because it was so visibly genuine.
Gakpo and Van der Bij are also parents to a young son, Samuel, born in 2025. Their decision to share their loss publicly, even briefly, while asking for privacy, says a lot about how this moment was handled with restraint rather than spectacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Netherlands advance after Gakpo’s goal?
No. The match finished 1-1 after extra time, and Morocco won on penalties, eliminating the Netherlands from the 2026 World Cup.
What happened to Cody Gakpo’s son?
Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, announced that their unborn son, Elijah Raphael, passed away during pregnancy, two days before the Morocco match.
Why didn’t Gakpo celebrate his goal?
Instead of a typical celebration, Gakpo dropped to his knees and pointed to the sky as a tribute to his late son, and his teammates immediately surrounded him in support.
A Reminder Worth Carrying Off the Pitch
This Cody Gakpo World Cup tribute will likely be remembered long after the tournament bracket is forgotten, not because of what it meant for the Netherlands’ run, but because of what it showed about the people behind the jerseys.
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