Cody Gakpo was the one driving the Netherlands to the quarter finals of Euro 2024.
The Liverpool striker was named Man of the Match in the 3-0 win over Romania in the last 16, grabbing a goal and an assist in what has been the Dutch’s best performance in the competition so far.
With two goals in the group stage, his tally of three in four games so far puts him at the forefront of the race for the golden boot.
The 25-year-old’s role in Germany is a stark contrast to his recent torrid season at Anfield, which has seen him struggle for consistency and often take part in their attack.
So, what is the secret of Gakpo’s success in his country? Read on as we take a closer look.
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The best place
Gakpo earned a £35million move to Liverpool in 2023 for his impressive form on the left of attack for PSV Eindhoven, cutting inside to make himself a goal threat.
In that capacity, he scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists in 27 games in the first half of the 2022-23 campaign before moving to Anfield in January.
At Liverpool, he is one of the attacking stars, meaning he is often moved into midfield to accommodate the likes of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez and just 13 league starts last season shows he has struggled to establish himself in his position.
That’s not such an issue for the Netherlands, the left wing is solid – similar to his PSV days. Under Ronald Koeman, he has been given license to run at right back, with most in the competition struggling to cope with his pace and power.
Cody Gakpo opened with great motivation as the Netherlands beat Romania 🤩#Euro2024 | #LOOKED pic.twitter.com/ihkfM7CyMe
– ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 2, 2024
Manager Ronald Koeman said after Romania’s victory: “Yes, he can play as a striker, but he showed today that he is very dangerous on the left side.
“The place where he starts is on the left because he is really dangerous when he is matched with a right-back.
“He knows how to go inside, outside, he has his qualities, he is strong. He is playing at a high level in this tournament, probably the most important player so far. I hope others can reach that level.”
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Using his goal threat
Eight goals and five assists in the Premier League show that Gakpo is a clinical player and the Netherlands are making the most of that in Germany.
In fact, only one player has bettered the Dutchman’s tally of six in two major international tournaments – and his name is Kylian Mbappe.
His three goals in Euro 2024, scoring only seven goals on target, also put the team in the respect of his countrymen.
Other Dutch top scorers in the competition are Marco Van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert, Ruud van Nisterlooy and Georginio Wijnaldum.
All those records prove that he is a man who can handle the burden of being the club’s top goalscorer and perhaps make the truth that his career at Anfield has not been more confusing.
Gakpo recently spoke about his struggles at Liverpool: “It doesn’t always go your way, sometimes you have a spell when things don’t go your way.
“But I have a great team in Liverpool, great people who are there for you, they keep believing in me and helping me. Even in the last games of the season we were good, I played good games.
“I took that and continued to work hard and I’m very happy that I can be useful in tonight’s game [vs Romania].”
Cody Gakpo fires the Netherlands forward 🔥
He becomes joint top scorer in the Euros with three goals 👏#BBEuros #Euro2024 #LOOKED pic.twitter.com/DvLJoOYmeb
-BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 2, 2024
Can Slot get the best of Gakpo?
The good thing about Gakpo is that when he returns to Liverpool, he will be playing under a manager who knew him well when he played in the Netherlands.
Arne Slot will start a new era on Merseyside after three years in charge of Feyernoord and one with AZ Alkmaar, where he often teamed up with his Dutch compatriot.
He will be well aware of his talents and will be watching his performances this summer – although the question remains whether he can make the left side his own at Anfield.
Diaz, Nunez and Mohamed Salah have proven highly effective weapons in wide positions, while the Reds’ reported pursuit of Anthony Gordon only adds to his competitiveness.
If he can produce more magic for his country against Turkey, Slot may have no choice but to find a way to get Gakpo into his side.
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