Noa van der Bij has announced that she and Cody Gakpo lost their unborn son during pregnancy. She posted the message on social media on Saturday, saying the couple had been expecting their second child, due in October. Gakpo is on World Cup duty with the Netherlands as the news emerged.
The family statement
Van der Bij wrote: "With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy. Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son."
That was the clearest and most important part of the update. The family chose to speak in their own words, and they did not try to soften what happened. Van der Bij also described a church visit and a playground coincidence she saw as a sign connected to Elijah, but that was her personal interpretation, not something that can be read as fact.
Gakpo then asked for space. "This is an incredibly difficult time for our family. We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding," he said.
The football side of the story is secondary, but it is there. Liverpool's forward remains on international duty and has started all three Netherlands World Cup group games, with two goals and 259 minutes across the tournament. That does not lessen the personal news around him. It just shows he is still trying to carry on with football while his family deals with something far harder.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →