Cody Gakpo has shown his class after announcing a new ambassadorial role helping children with muscle diseases.
Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo has officially announced himself as an ambassador for Spieren voor Spieren, a Dutch charity dedicated to supporting children living with muscle diseases.
Spieren voor Spieren was founded in 1998 by the Dutch national football team under coach Jan Reker, based on the principle of “healthy muscles for sick muscles.” The foundation operates three specialized children’s muscle centers across the Netherlands—located at UMC Utrecht, LUMC, and Radboudumc—where multidisciplinary teams of specialists including neurologists, physiotherapists, and dietitians work together to provide rapid diagnosis and treatment planning.
Around 20,000 children in the Netherlands currently live with a muscle disease, making the organization’s work vital.
In a post on LinkedIn, the Liverpool winger made the announcement:
“A lot of my core childhood memories are about playing football, with my friends and other kids from the neighbourhood on the local football grounds, with my teammates in the academy, or with my brothers in our backyard. Clearly, I dreamed about becoming a professional athlete, someday playing for PSV and the national team. But most of the time, we just enjoyed the moment.”
“As a child, you don’t think much about being able to be out there playing with friends. Today, I understand that health is a gift we should be extremely thankful for.Spieren voor Spieren supports kids with a muscle disease, kids who often cannot just play outside.”
“I really appreciate their work, and I’m happy to be an ambassador for Spieren voor Spieren, using my muscles to support children with muscle diseases. Excited to be a part of it!”
The ambassadorship is the latest addition to Gakpo’s expanding portfolio outside of football. Earlier this year, the Dutch winger was named as an ambassador for Bentley Motors UK and Europe. Beyond brand partnerships, Gakpo has also been actively involved in various business and investment ventures that he often shares on his LinkedIn profile.
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