One Liverpool player has been told that he could potentially be the ‘difference’ in his team making it all the way to the World Cup final.
Despite enduring a difficult 2025/26 season with the Reds, Cody Gakpo has once again come to life at a major tournament, scoring twice in Netherlands’ 5-1 demolition of Sweden last Saturday and also claiming an assist.
The 27-year-old scored three times at the previous edition in 2022, netting the same tally in the Oranje’s run to the Euro 2024 semi-finals, and Daniel Sturridge has praised the forward for his ‘confident and decisive‘ performances in North America this month.
Rafael van der Vaart – who was the subject of a stinging rebuke from Jurgen Klopp after recent criticism of Virgil van Dijk – has claimed that the Liverpool attacker is such an important figure for his national team that he could potentially take them all the way to the World Cup final next month.
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur man told AceOdds.com (via Liverpool.com): “For me, Cody Gakpo is the difference between the Netherlands making the final or semi-final or getting knocked out earlier.
“When he has a good day he is our best weapon, but the other teams are not stupid, so they are trying to double up on him the whole time.”
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In the same interview, Van der Vaart did observe that the Liverpool forward can be ‘too predictable’ at times and needs to vary his play a bit more, echoing a constructive criticism which has frequently been thrown at the 27-year-old.
If Gakpo can add that bit more variety to his game, he could become a genuine star for both club and country, and his penchant for finding the net in major tournaments gives Netherlands every chance of going far at this World Cup.
If that does happen and the Reds’ number 18 is at the heart of it, adding a few more goals to his tournament tally, it should enable him to go back to Anfield with renewed confidence and a determination to hit the ground running under new boss Andoni Iraola.
He’s been the subject of reported interest from Spurs, who’ll be seeking to pounce on any inkling that the forward might be open to leaving Liverpool, where the emergence of Rio Ngumoha and the addition of Victor Munoz has increased competition for his place.
For now, we’re pleased to see Gakpo having another strong World Cup, and hopefully that’ll continue to be the case and he’ll carry that resurgence back with him to Anfield later in the summer.
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