Speaking at his pre-match press conference in Mexico, Van Dijk was open and emotive about the pain his Anfield teammate is enduring.
“Being there for Cody is the most important thing. It’s terrible. At such a moment it becomes clear again that football is a side issue. And that there are more important things in life. It’s very sad. You never want to go through this.
“But as the national coach says and knowing Cody, he is very keen to continue for a round. He dealt with it very maturely. I have a lot of respect for how he, but also Noa and his family, have handled this.”
Koeman echoed those sentiments, revealing that the Dutch coaching staff had immediately granted Gakpo total freedom to step away from the tournament camp to be with his loved ones—an offer the Liverpool man respectfully declined in order to help his country on the world stage.
“That was sad news we heard,” Koeman explained. “What Cody, his wife and family have been told. We did everything in our power to support him. As a staff, we gave him the freedom to leave the hotel and be with the family in the first few days.
“I think Cody handled that very well. There has never been a moment when he said, ‘I want to go back [home]’ or ‘I want to be with the family.’ He has assessed that himself and done it in his own way. I think that shows maturity, how he and the family have dealt with this.
“So he’s ready to play and it doesn’t weigh on his performance. He does this in his own way with the family, and that is very strong and beautiful. We have left it that way. We have been there as support, where we could be, just like the players.”
Overcoming adversity on the World Cup stage
From a purely sporting perspective, Gakpo’s decision to play on comes at a moment where he has been finding his absolute best form on the international stage.
Following a tense 2-2 opening draw against Japan, the Netherlands delivered a truly ruthless display in their second group game, dismantling Sweden 5-1 in Houston to climb to the top of Group F ahead of their final group stage matches. Brian Brobbey struck twice inside the opening 17 minutes of that match, but it was Gakpo who took the game completely away from the Swedes early in the second half. The Reds forward struck a superb brace and turned provider, threading an iota-perfect pass to assist a teammate before Crysencio Summerville rounded off the scoring.
Gakpo’s goalscoring exploits against Sweden saw him surpass the legendary Johan Cruyff’s total tally of major tournament goals for the Netherlands.
For new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola, watching from afar ahead of his first pre-season on Merseyside, it serves as a timely and potent reminder of Gakpo’s immense attacking value. Despite the high-profile arrival of Victor Munoz, Gakpo’s performances in an orange shirt have emphatically proven that he remains an elite, world-class asset who has no intention of quietly surrendering his place in the Anfield pecking order.