Cody Gakpo and Noa van der Bij
Cody Gapko and Noa van der Bij; Cody Gapko.
Cody Gapko's partner Noa van der Bij reacted to his World Cup goal two days after the couple announced they experienced a pregnancy loss
Van der Bij said she's "so proud" of Gapko in a post on her Instagram Stories
The couple revealed "with broken hearts" that they lost their second child on June 27
Cody Gapko's partner Noa van der Bij is "so proud" of his World Cup goal.
Two days after Gapko, 27, and Van der Bij, 25, announced that they had experienced a pregnancy loss, the Dutch soccer star scored the first goal for the Netherlands in their 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout game against Morocco on Monday, June 29.
Gapko's teammates immediately embraced him and shared an emotional moment on the field after he scored, as seen in a video shared by Fox Sports.
Cody Gakpo #11 of the Netherlands celebrates with teammates Wout Weghorst #9 and Denzel Dumfries #22 after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Netherlands and Morocco at Monterrey Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Guadalupe, Mexico.
Cody Gakpo #11 of the Netherlands celebrates with teammates Wout Weghorst #9 and Denzel Dumfries #22 after scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Netherlands and Morocco at Monterrey Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Guadalupe, Mexico.
After the game, Van der Bij took to Instagram and reposted a photo of Gapko pointing to the sky after he scored. "So proud," she wrote over the picture, adding a prayer hand emoji and an orange heart to her Instagram Story.
Van der Bij announced her pregnancy loss on Saturday, June 27 on her Instagram Stories. "With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy," she wrote. "Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son."
The couple, who welcomed their first son, Samuel, in April 2025, initially announced Van der Bij's second pregnancy on May 30. "Our little family is growing 🤍 we can’t wait to meet you," they wrote in a joint post.
Before the Netherlands' game against Morocco on Monday, the Dutch Football Association confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE that Gakpo would continue playing in the tournament. "First and foremost, our thoughts are with Cody and his family, Noa and their son Samuel," the statement read.
"This is a very sad, private situation. We were, of course, already aware of what had happened, and we are supporting the family wherever we can. After discussing the situation with his partner, Cody has decided to remain with the team. We respect their privacy and will therefore not comment further on the situation, including the ways in which we are supporting them."
Morocco ultimately defeated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout in the Round of 32.