Overview
- The couple announced the loss on Saturday, June 27, and revealed the name they had chosen for their son as Elijah Raphael Gakpo.
- Noa van der Bij described a consoling visit to a church and asked for privacy in an Instagram post, and Gakpo separately appealed for respect for the family's space.
- Coach Ronald Koeman said the staff gave Gakpo freedom to join his family when needed and praised how he handled the situation, and captain Virgil van Dijk publicly expressed support for the player.
- Despite the bereavement, Gakpo remained with the Netherlands' World Cup squad in the United States and was reported to have been announced as a starter for the round-of-16 match against Morocco.
- Gakpo is a key attacker for Liverpool and the Dutch team, and the federation's backing of his leave underscores the tension between media attention on elite athletes and the family's request for privacy.