Former Footballer Makes Bold Claim About Cody Gakpo: 'He's Still Young...'

Cody Gakpo consistently shines as a key player for the Dutch national team in major tournaments. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, his three goals were instrumental in guiding the Netherlands comfortably through the group stage. Similarly, at Euro 2024, Gakpo frequently led Oranje to victory, with his three goals playing a significant role in their run to the semi-finals.

It's no surprise, then, that all eyes are once again on Gakpo this World Cup. "Liverpool had a mediocre season as a team, though they did qualify for the Champions League, but Gakpo always poses a threat," notes Robert Maaskant in the latest episode of the Sportnieuws.nl World Cup podcast. "He loves to cut inside for a cross or a shot, and he's fantastic at it. But lately, he's also been going wide more often and delivering powerful crosses with his left foot. He's simply very important."

"You can almost guarantee he'll score three goals this tournament," observes Oranje-watcher Rick Kraaijeveld. Ali Boussaboun adds, "I think he could even become the all-time top scorer. He's taking penalties now and he's still young." Maaskant finds that a bit premature: "He'll still need to bag quite a few more for that."

Maaskant has a point. Gakpo has scored 21 goals in all his international appearances and is 'already' 27. He still has a considerable gap to close, as Memphis Depay has 55. While that's a long way off, everyone is convinced that Gakpo will once again be a valuable asset this World Cup. "We're going to have an incredible amount of fun watching him this World Cup," Maaskant promises.

In the new episode of the daily Sportnieuws.nl World Cup football podcast, Robert Maaskant and Ali Boussaboun discuss Danny Makkelie's performance in America's opening match. There were other Dutch influences in that game that deserve mention. Furthermore, the unusual statement from the mayor of New York was brought up. He's convinced that the Netherlands will be eliminated early and Morocco will go far, a statement that sparked much debate at the table.

The podcast also previews Morocco's first match against Brazil and scrutinizes Cody Gakpo's performances for Oranje. Could he eventually become the all-time top scorer? You can hear all this and more from 7:30 AM in your favorite podcast app.