Cody Gakpo has Ghanaian ancestry. The Dutch professional football player was born in Eindhoven, Netherlands, but has roots in Ghana. He was born to a Togolese father with Ghanaian ancestry named Johnny Gakpo, and a Dutch mother named Ank Gakpo.
Gakpo plays as a winger for Eredivisie club PSV and the Netherlands national team. His athletic genes come from his father, Johnny Gakpo, who was a former football player for the Togolese National Team. His mother was also a sportsperson as she is a retired Dutch Rugby International. With athlete blood running in his veins, it is no surprise that Cody Gakpo has taken up the sport and is currently excelling at it.
He played for PSV youth academy before his professional career took at the age of 17 with Jong PSV. Likewise, he decided to play for Netherlands’ national team over Ghana and Togo. Cody, who won the Dutch football player of the year award in 2022, made his senior international debut for the Netherlands at the UEFA Euro 2020.
Cody Gakpo Bio Summary
- Full Name: Cody Mathès Gakpo
- Date of Birth: May 7, 1999
- Place of Birth: Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Ethnicity: Afro-Dutch, Black Dutch
- Nationality: Dutch, Togolese
- Zodiac Sign: Taurus
- Education: Van Maerlantlyceum secondary school
- Profession: Professional Football Player
- Position: Winger
- Net Worth: $1.5 million
- Height: 6 feet 2 inches (1.87 meters/ 187 cm)
- Weight: 76 kg
- Marital Status: Unmarried
- Cody Gakpo’s Girlfriend: Noa van der Bij
- Siblings: Sydney Gakpo (Older Brother) and Ducferre Gakpo (Younger Brother)
- Instagram: codymathesgakpo
Cody Gakpo is the Son of a Former Togolese International Johnny Gakpo and Retired Rugby Player Ank Gakpo
Cody Gakpo was birthed into a multi-ethnic sports-loving family. He is the son of Johnny Gakpo, a former Togolese football player who also possesses Ghanaian ancestry, and Ank Gakpo, a retired Dutch Rugby player from Oirschot, Netherlands.
Gakpo’s father played football for the Togolese national team and was regarded as one of the best players in the country. According to reports, Johnny also starred for the PSV’s second team, but sadly Cody did not witness much of his father’s career on the football field as his father retired early from the sport around the time he was born. His mother, on the other hand, was a secondary school teacher who once made Dutch newspaper headlines for her outstanding talent as a rugby player.
Cody’s parents met in the West African country of Togo. The pair met while Ank was on vacation in Togo and Johnny was playing football in Togo. After their first meeting, Johnny and Ank developed an instant connection with each other, but unfortunately, Johnny had to move to France. Throughout their time part, the pair kept in touch with each other, and after a while, Johnny decided to leave France, after which he moved to Holland, where he reunited with Ank. Shortly after this, the pair eventually settled in Eindhoven, where they welcomed their three children, Sydney, Cody, and Dunk.
Although Cody did not experience much of his father’s career, he derived inspiration from his father, Johnny, who supported him and motivated him to utilize his ability. While his father served as the push and pull, his mother, Ank, took a calm approach to encourage him and his brothers. Though his parents have a different approach to supporting and encouraging him, they are often by the sidelines during his games, cheering him on.
Cody Gakpo was Born and Raised in Netherlands
Cody Mathès Gakpo was born under the Taurus birth sign in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on May 7, 1999, making him 23 years of age as of 2022. He identifies with the Afro-Dutch ethnic group, and he holds Dutch nationality as well as Togolese nationality with Ghanaian descent.
Cody is the second of three children born to his parents. He spent his childhood days alongside his two siblings, older brother, Sydney Gakpo (born July 24, 1993), and younger brother, Ducferre Gakpo, in the district of Stratum, a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. Sydney began his amateur career at FC Eindhoven Academy, after which he went on to establish his career professionally with RPC Eindhoven in 2015. Ducferre, on his part, is reportedly pursuing his amateur career with PSV.
There is little information about Cody Gakpo’s educational background, but according to reports, he attended and graduated from Van Maerlantlyceum secondary school. The Dutch football player joined the students of Van Maerlantlyceum secondary school in promoting reading awareness – in an event tagged #readingoffensive in 2021.
Cody Gakpo Began his Amateur Career with the PSV Youth Academy
Cody Gakpo, who is nicknamed EinTovenaar for his outstanding football skills, began his journey to become a football player at the early age of four. Although it was a bit too early to determine his career path around that age, Cody showed immense interest in the sport and soon began playing football with his siblings. In 2006, he played football with a neighborhood football team called EVV Eindhoven before moving to PSV Youth academy at the age of 8 in 2007.
He trained at PSV youth academy, where he steadily progressed through all the youth teams. During the 2016/2017 season, Cody has already proved himself worthy of being a Jong PSV reserve team member. By the age of 17, he made his professional debut for Jong PSV in the Eerste Divisie in a game against Helmond Sport on November 4, 2016.
After his debut appearance, Cody made just one more appearance for Jong PSV throughout the season. His performance in the following season’s U19 Eredivisie, where he recorded seven goals and five assists in 13 league games, earned him a promotion to the reserves at the turn of the year. The Dutch football player recorded a brace and made the assist for the third goal of his team in his second appearance in the second-tier Eerste Divisie against De Graafschap on January 19, 2017. For the 2017-2018 season, he recorded seven goals for Jong PSV in 12 league games.
Cody Gakpo has Established Himself with his Mind-bending Goal-scoring Skills and Gameplay
On February 25, 2018, Cody made his first team debut for PSV as a substitute in a 3-1 victory over Feyenoord. Due to his improved gameplay and performance in the 2018-2019 season, Cody was selected several times for the matchday team of the first team in the first half of the season. By the age of 19, he bagged the first hat-trick goal of his professional career in a 5-1 victory against the Go-Ahead Eagles. He continued his winning streak as he again recorded another goal and an assist in the 5-2 victory against Almere City before making his debut in the Eredivisie a day later. By the end of the year, Cody had already bagged nine goals for Jong PSV in 10 league games and was later promoted to become a regular member of the first team.
Well, Cody continued to impress as he recorded his first league goal and an assist in just his second appearance in a 5-0 victory over Fortuna Sittatard on February 3, 2019. In the following season, 2019/2020 season Cody’s performance improved as he recorded seven goals and several assists in 25 league games in the Eredivisie. The Dutch football player recorded his first brace for PSV during the 2020-2021 Eredivisie season in a 3-1 victory against Groningen on September 13, 2020.
Days later, Cody led his team to a 5-1 victory in the UEFA Europa League qualifier after scoring another brace against NS Mura. By October 2020, he had already established himself as an integral member of the team as he recorded a goal in PSV’s 2-0 victory against Rosenborg. By the end of the season, Cody had already garnered 11 goals in 29 appearances for PSV.
In the 2022 KNVB Cup Final, the Dutch football player helps the team score the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Ajax. He recorded his first hat-trick goal in a 7-1 victory against Volendam on August 31, 2022. Interestingly, Cody has reportedly caught the attention of big clubs like Manchester United, Leeds United, and Southampton, but he remained committed to playing for PSV.
Cody Gakpo Achievements
- Eredivisie: 2017-18
- KNVB Cup: 2021-22
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2021, 2022
- Dutch player of the year 2021-2022
Cody Gakpo Opted to Play for the Netherlands Over Togo and Ghana
Due to his multiple nationalities, Cody is eligible to play at the international level for Netherlands, Togo, and Ghana. However, he decided to play for the Netherlands, turning down offers to join Ghana and Togo national teams. He represented the Netherlands at Under-18, Under-19, Under-20, and Under-21 Youth International games before he was called up to the senior Netherlands squad for the UEFA Euro 2020.
He made his senior debut as a substitute at the 2020 UEFA Euro in the third match against North Macedonia, becoming the first Netherlands player to make his international debut at a European Championship since Martien Vreijsen in 1980. On September 4, 2021, Cody established himself as a must-see as he recorded his first senior international goal in a 4-0 victory over Montenegro in the 2022 World Cup qualifying game.
How Much is Cody Gakpo’s Net Worth?
According to online sources, Cody Gakpo has an estimated net worth of around $1.5 million. A report reveals that the Dutch football player earns $8,900 weekly and about $465k annually from his contract with PSV, which expires on June 30, 2026. While it is too early to determine his net worth since his career just took off, he is predicted to earn more in the future. Moreover, he also earns from his endorsement deals with brands like Philips and ASML.
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