Overview
- Cody Gakpo set up Brian Brobbey and scored twice in Houston on Sunday as the Netherlands beat Sweden 5-1 in a World Cup group-stage match.
- He now has 23 goals and 12 assists in 52 senior caps for the Netherlands and has scored eight goals across World Cups and European Championships, highlighting his big-stage output.
- Gakpo said he feels more tactical freedom with the national team than at Liverpool, a difference he and analysts link to his sharper finishing for the Oranje.
- Ronald Koeman praised Gakpo and singled out Brobbey for his hold-up play after the win, and Virgil van Dijk called Gakpo an outstanding footballer whose quality stands out.
- The performance boosts the Netherlands' progress in Group F and may increase pressure on Liverpool to resolve Gakpo's club role after recent managerial change and squad reassessment.