Cody Gakpo: Age, Parents, Net Worth & Why the Netherlands' Star Is Turning Heads at World Cup 2026

There’s something different about Cody Gakpo. He doesn’t shout about it. He doesn’t need to.

He just keeps scoring. At PSV. At Liverpool. For the Netherlands. At the World Cup in Qatar. And now at the 2026 World Cup in North America, he’s doing the whole thing again , a brace vs Sweden, a Man of the Match nod, and a Dutch fanbase absolutely purring because their number 11 is producing on the grandest stage in football, you know.

But then, who actually is Cody Gakpo? Where does he come from, and how did a kid from Eindhoven end up becoming one of the most crucial forwards for that Liverpool side which just lifted the Premier League?

Let’s get into it.

Article Contents

Cody Gakpo Biography

Detail	Info
Full Name	Cody Mathès Gakpo
Date of Birth	May 7, 1999
Age	27 years old
Place of Birth	Eindhoven, Netherlands
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Nationality	Dutch
Father	Johnny Gakpo (Togolese, Ghanaian roots, former footballer)
Mother	Ank Gakpo (Dutch, former national rugby player)
Partner	Noa van der Bij
Son	Samuël Seth Gakpo (born April 2024)
Current Club	Liverpool FC (Premier League)
Jersey Number	18
Position	Left Winger / Centre Forward
Nickname	Ein Tovenaar (A Wizard)
Net Worth	£7–12 million (estimated, 2026)
Weekly Wage	~£160,000 per week

Cody Gakpo Early Life — Born in the Shadow of Philips Stadium

Cody Gakpo grew up in Stratum, that district of Eindhoven , and if you know Eindhoven at all, you get why PSV’s Philips Stadium is kind of the heartbeat there. Growing up in that area meant football was just… everywhere. In the streets, in the parks, in those conversations around the dinner table.

But here’s what makes Gakpo’s background particularly fascinating. His parents are about as sporting as it gets — on both sides of the family.

His father, Johnny Gakpo, was born in Togo with Ghanaian ancestry and actually played professional football, representing the Togolese national team during his career. His mother, Ank Gakpo, is Dutch — and not just a football supporter. She was a national-level rugby player for the Netherlands. Two professional athletes. One household. Sport wasn’t an interest in the Gakpo home, it was practically the family business.

Cody has two brothers — Sidney and Ducferre — both of whom also pursued football seriously. The family met when Johnny moved from Togo to the Netherlands, and what followed was a sporting dynasty in miniature. All three brothers played the game. Cody was just the one who made it all the way to the top.

His connection to the game began when he was four, sort of kicking a ball about in Stratum with his brothers, not serious at first but still , it landed and stayed. By the time he was eight, PSV had spotted him, so he joined their youth setup in 2007. He spent nine years inside that system before stepping up to Jong PSV, basically the reserve squad, in 2016.

PSV — Nine Years in the Making

Gakpo’s first proper professional appearance came on November 4, 2016, for Jong PSV against Helmond Sport in the Eerste Divisie, Netherlands’ second tier. He was 17, and that season he didn’t play a ton , mostly getting short glimpses rather than a real, steady rhythm. But he was learning. Building.

Over the next few seasons he developed steadily — the goals started coming regularly for Jong PSV, and by the 2018-19 season he was scoring at will in the reserve league. Nine goals in ten games at one point. That kind of form gets noticed fast.

Then the PSV first-team moment arrived on February 25, 2018, in a 3-1 win over Feyenoord. He was a substitute, barely on the pitch, but it was the beginning of something real, even if it didn’t look huge yet. By the 2019-20 season, he became a first-team regular, steady, more involved. Goals, assists, creativity — it was all starting to click.

After that, the 2021-22 season turned into the one that shifted everything. Gakpo scored 21 goals and added 15 assists across all competitions. He also won the KNVB Cup with PSV, and yes, he netted the winner against Ajax in the final. On top of that, he was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. Every major club in Europe was watching.

Arsenal were interested. Manchester United were interested. Real Madrid had been linked. In the end, it was Liverpool who moved — and they moved fast.

Cody Gakpo Liverpool — From Anfield Doubt to Premier League Winner

In January 2023, Gakpo signed for Liverpool for a fee somewhere between £35-44 million. He arrived mid-season, which is rarely smooth— new country, new language, new teammates, new tactics, all at once, kind of thrown in the deep end.

His first season was decent, not exactly sparkling all the time. He was still adapting, still finding his feet in the Premier League’s odd blend of speed and pressure. Still, the quality was obvious to anyone paying attention, because it was there even when it wasn’t fully clicking yet. The movement. The left foot. The ability to play multiple positions in the front line.

The 2024-25 season was when it really came together. Under Arne Slot — who took over from Jurgen Klopp — Liverpool were extraordinary. They ended up taking the Premier League title, and Gakpo was like a big piece of it, or however you wanna say it. He notched 13 league goals that season, which was his best run in a Liverpool shirt, and somehow he started to look more and more like the sort of player PSV fans always expected from him.

At Anfield he wears 18, that’s the same shirt number Daniel Sturridge once had. The Liverpool lot took time to fully buy into him after that first campaign, but by the time the Premier League trophy was getting lifted, Cody Gakpo had won them over completely , yeah.

Netherlands — A World Cup Scoring Record in the Making

Gakpo made his senior debut for the Netherlands at Euro 2020, in June 2021. He came on late as a substitute, got a feel for the international tempo, and over the next few years he kept climbing , kept getting more and more… increasingly vital to the Dutch squad.

Then came the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His first. And he announced himself in the most dramatic way possible — scoring in three consecutive group-stage matches. Three goals in three games. The Netherlands eventually lost to Argentina in the quarterfinals, on penalties but Gakpo had basically shown everyone what he could do.

At Euro 2024 in Germany, he kept delivering. He got Man of the Match for the opening 2-1 victory against Poland, found the net in the round of 16 vs Romania, and finished the tournament with three goals — enough for a share of the Golden Boot. The Netherlands made it to the semis before falling to England.

Which brings us to World Cup 2026. And Gakpo is already at it again.

In the Netherlands second group match against Sweden, he managed to score twice in that 5-1 win, and yeah he was also named Man of the Match. The brace , basically took him up to five World Cup goals total across two different tournaments. He’s now the outright leading Netherlands goalscorer at World Cups in the modern era. Not bad for a kid from Stratum.

Cody Gakpo Career Stats at a Glance

Season	Club	Apps	Goals	Assists
2021–22	PSV Eindhoven	47	21	15
2022–23	PSV / Liverpool	44	18	12
2023–24	Liverpool FC	49	11	9
2024–25	Liverpool FC	46	13	10
Netherlands	National Team	60+	22	14
World Cup goals	Qatar + USA/Canada/Mexico	—	5	—

How Much Is Cody Gakpo Net Worth 2026?

So, regarding Cody Gakpo’s net worth in 2026 , estimates kinda have him sitting around £7 million to £12 million . His weekly wage at Liverpool is said to be near £160,000 per week , which comes out to roughly £8.3 million per year, and that figure is connected to a contract that runs right up until 2028.

He has a long-standing endorsement arrangement with Puma, and his public profile has grown a lot since the Liverpool move and those World Cup showings. His market value on Transfermarkt sits at around €65 million as of June 2026 — solid for a player who was bought for under £45 million three years ago.

Now a proper strong finish in World Cup 2026 — and he’s already trending that way — should push his commercial pull even higher. He’s 27, in the prime spell of his career, playing for one of the biggest clubs anywhere. The financial trajectory is pointing one way.

Cody Gakpo Personal Life — A Father, a Partner, and a Very Grounded Footballer

Gakpo’s been dating Noa van der Bij since late 2020 , and she’s Dutch. She studied management at Avans University of Applied Sciences , and she works as a junior booker at Cachet Models, which is a modelling agency in Amsterdam. She basically moved to Liverpool with Cody when he signed for the club, since then she’s been a steady familiar presence in the stands at Anfield , every so often you just notice her.

In April 2024, the couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy. His name is Samuël Seth Gakpo , born on April 25. Cody celebrated the moment by dedicating a goal to his newborn son not long after the birth. The little one was spotted already wearing a Liverpool shirt with “Daddy 18” on the back , and it’s honestly the kind of sweet detail that makes you care about the player even more.

Gakpo speaks about his father’s influence constantly. Johnny Gakpo played professional football and knows what the journey requires. That guidance — from someone who has actually lived the life of a professional footballer — is something Cody has cited repeatedly as crucial to his development and his mentality.

Off the pitch, he’s known as calm, focused, and private. No tabloid drama. No controversies. Just football, family, and the quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly what he’s capable of.

Fun Facts About Cody Gakpo

In Dutch football circles, his nickname is “Ein Tovenaar” — that translates to “A Wizard.” Watch him once, and you’ll probably get it right away.

He could’ve represented Ghana, Togo, or the Netherlands at international level. All three were eligible options given his parents’ backgrounds. He chose the Netherlands — and has been scoring for them ever since.

His father played professional football for Togo. His mother played national-level rugby for the Netherlands. He has two brothers who both played football seriously. This family doesn’t do anything by halves.

Also, he scored in three straight World Cup group-stage matches at Qatar 2022. At 23 years old, in his first World Cup, and against some of the best defenders in the world.

His son Samuël already has a Liverpool shirt with “Daddy 18” on the back, and yeah it’s kind of mad. He’s not even two years old yet and he’s already a Red. Future sorted.

He stands 1.93 m tall — 6 ft 4 in — which makes him unusually tall for a winger. Most wingers at that height struggle to be effective on the ground. Gakpo somehow stacks that whole thing with the spryness and tight touch of someone maybe six inches shorter. It’s a genuinely weird mixture that leaves defenders kind of stuck.

Why Cody Gakpo Matters at World Cup 2026

The Netherlands have never won a World Cup. Not once. Three finals, in 1974 1978 and 2010 and somehow three total heartbreaks. It’s become one of the great unfulfilled stories in world football. This squad, under Ronald Koeman, might just be their best chance in a very long time.

And Gakpo is central to everything. He’s already scored twice in this tournament. He’s moving with that confidence and easy licence you only get when you know you belong at this level. The brace against Sweden wasn’t random or lucky, it was clinical and composed, exactly what you’d expect from a player who’s been growing toward this moment for years.

Alongside Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, and a squad full of quality, the Netherlands have a genuine shot at going deep in this tournament. Maybe all the way. And if they do — Cody Gakpo, the wizard from Eindhoven with a Togolese father, a Dutch rugby-playing mother, and a son already in a Liverpool shirt — will be at the heart of it.

Watch him. He’s got more goals in him yet.

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