Santiago Taboada Castillo
With just one interception, Cody Gakpo turned the match on its head. The Dutch forward seized a loose pass in the 72nd minute to give the Netherlands the lead against Morocco in the World Cup Round of 32.
The moment he scored, Gakpo fell to the ground covered his face with his hands, and burst into tears. His teammates rushed over to comfort him. He wasn't hurt and the goal stood, so why was he crying?
It turns out that Gakpo, who plays for Liverpool, had lost his second child, only two days earlier due to miscarriage. Even so, he and his partner decided that he would play in the World Cup.
Still grieving, Gakpo started the 32 round match against Morocco. In the end, his goal wasn't enough for his country to advance—they would go on to lose in extra time—but it gave the world the image of Gakpo pointing his finger toward the heavens, dedicating the goal to his son, Elijah Raphael.
Gakpo has never hidden his Christian faith. In fact, he leads a prayer group at the Dutch training camp.
Some players even call him the 'The Shepherd of the Team.' Denzel Dumfries, the full-back who has just signed for Real Madrid, has credited Gakpo with helping him grow closer to God.
The Netherlands may have left the World Cup behind, but for Cody Gakpo, a far more difficult chapter has begun. In a message shared on social media, he asked for privacy for his family during this time.
