Morocco’s preparations for their World Cup Round of 16 clash with the Netherlands have unfolded against an emotional backdrop in the Dutch camp, after Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo and his partner suffered the loss of their unborn son.
The incident has shaped much of the build-up to the knockout tie, with Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk stressing that football has taken a back seat to personal circumstances within the squad as they prepare to face one of Africa’s last remaining teams in the competition.
“The most important thing is to ask: ‘What do you need?’ It’s awful news and it shows that football is secondary. There are more important things in life. It’s very sad but Cody deals with it.
“He’s very mature, very adult. I have lots of respect for the way he and his family are handling this. However awful it is, I respect it very much,” Van Dijk said.
Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, announced the loss on Saturday, prompting widespread messages of support from teammates and the wider football community.
The forward has since been given time away from the squad, with his family remaining close to the Netherlands’ team base in Kansas City during the tournament.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman confirmed the player has been allowed space to be with his family during a difficult period.
“We have done what was within our power in terms of support, as players, as staff,” Koeman said.
“Of course, the first few days, he had the freedom to go out to his family and be with them. He dealt with it very well, there was never a moment where he said ‘I want to go back, I want to be with the family’.”
Despite the emotional circumstances, Gakpo is still expected to be part of the Netherlands squad for the match against Morocco on Monday. He has not spoken publicly since the announcement.
The timing adds another layer of complexity to a fixture already carrying major significance, with Morocco continuing Africa’s strong representation in the knockout stages.
The North Africans remain one of the continent’s key hopes in the tournament and will be looking to take advantage of any disruption in the Dutch camp as they aim to reach the quarter-finals.
For the Netherlands, attention remains firmly on supporting Gakpo as a teammate first, with senior figures stressing unity ahead of the clash.
For Morocco, however, the focus is firmly on sporting ambition, as they look to extend Africa’s presence on the world stage.
The match in Los Angeles will therefore carry both emotional and sporting weight — a World Cup knockout tie shaped as much by events off the pitch as the tactical battle set to unfold on it.
