Cody Gakpo was born on 7 May 1999 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and came through PSV Eindhoven's youth ranks. He developed into a versatile forward — comfortable as a left winger, central striker or attacking midfielder — and won the Eredivisie title in 2017–18 (a youth role), the KNVB Beker in 2021–22, and the Dutch Super Cup multiple times.
In January 2023 Liverpool signed Gakpo for around €50 million on the back of his standout 2022 FIFA World Cup performances, where he scored in all three Netherlands group-stage matches. With Liverpool he won the EFL Cup in 2023–24 and the Premier League in 2024–25, with 10 league goals in 35 matches as part of the title-winning side. The 2025–26 season has been similarly productive: 33 Premier League matches with 7 goals and 5 assists, plus 11 UEFA Champions League appearances with 2 goals and an assist.
For the Netherlands, Gakpo was one of Euro 2024's most prolific attackers, with 3 goals and an assist in 6 matches as the Oranje reached the semi-finals. He has continued to be a key Netherlands attacker across Nations League and 2026 World Cup qualifying.
A 193cm two-footed attacker with elite finishing ability, intelligent positioning and the technical security to play in multiple front-line roles, Gakpo is a senior figure in the Dutch attacking line and a likely starter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.