Wow! That shot was amazing, Cody Gakpo!
Cody Gakpo, the name is probably the shining star of this year's World Cup so far. The 24-year-old Dutch striker showed the world what he's made of with his goals in just two games during his brief World Cup debut. The two beautiful goals have made him famous and attracted the attention of many giants, as well as being a key figure in Holland's solid first place finish in the group stage.
Gakpo in ecstasy after the goal
Hackpo was born in Eindhoven, in the south of the Netherlands, which is not only one of Europe's leading technology centers, but also the home of PSV (Philips Sport Vereniging), and the P is the name of its main sponsor Philips, which is a clear indication of the importance of technology in this area. Born into a sporting family and influenced by his father, Hackpo grew up in a soccer atmosphere following his two brothers. Two of his hobbies are going to PSV matches at the Philips Stadium and using PSV in FIFA video games.
Huckabee grew up with a love for PSV and his life was filled with love for the team, with PSV logos and posters everywhere from his clothes to his room, and a habit of sitting in the ZZ section at Philips Arena to be closer to the stars of the team.
In addition to his love for soccer, young Hakpo showed great talent from an early age, passing the PSV academy exams at the age of six and undergoing more specialized training. He inherited his father's genes and his mother's athleticism, and as a half-African small forward, he navigated the field with ease, even scoring three solo goals in a 20-0 thrashing that foreshadowed his future glory.
However, when he was 9 years old, a striker came to the team who was even better than him. In order not to be left behind, Hakpo Jr. started to train even harder, but this put him under tremendous physical pressure, and two calf muscle tears forced him to take a temporary break from the game, and his ability suffered as a result. However, Huckabee later met the man of his life, former Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy. Van Nistelrooy treated Hakpo Jr. like his own son and taught him many techniques. Hakpo Jr.'s strong will and love for soccer allowed him to grow into an outstanding attacker and help PSVU17 youth team win a championship.
As if it was meant to be, in July 2018, 19-year-old Hakpo finally realized his dream and was promoted to PSV's first team. In his second season, he lived up to the hype of his breakthrough, scoring seven goals and dishing out seven assists in 25 games for PSV in the Dutch Eredivisie. These two outstanding seasons made him an indispensable player in the country, helping PSV win the Dutch Cup and achieve back-to-back Dutch Super Cup domination.
This season, Hackbo played 24 games, contributing 13 goals and 17 assists, and for the first time, he was selected for the Dutch national team's World Cup roster, and the outside world is full of expectations for him, hoping that he will be able to fill the vacancies in the Dutch front line for many years. Hackbo has a strong destructive power on the left side, and can occasionally play as a center forward. His 189cm height makes him excellent in the air, and his first goal in this World Cup was a header.
There is no doubt that Hackpo has been one of the brightest players at the World Cup. From the start of his career to becoming a public figure, from the Dutch Eindhoven to the World Cup stage, the 24-year-old striker may have been a bit of a late bloomer, but it's safe to say he's been heading in the right direction, carrying the expectations of his home country with him as he leads the Netherlands to the World Cup, one step at a time. Perhaps just like his country, they may not be the most favored one, but they will definitely be the team that shines the brightest, just like a tulip blooming in the green field.
