Cody Gakpo is a certified World Cup star through three games.
The 23-year-old Dutch winger recorded his third goal of the tournament on Tuesday to put the Netherlands up 1-0 on Qatar in its final group matchup.
Gakpo received the ball outside the top of the box and quickly found teammate Davy Klaassen for a give-and-go. Klaassen wasted no time getting the ball back to Gakpo and from there, it was off to the races. With four Qatari defenders descending on him, Gakpo took a quick strike just inside the box, netting the ball in the bottom right corner past Qatar’s goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham.
Gakpo scored in each of the Netherland’s first two games against Ecuador and Senegal. His three goals ties Ecuador’s Enner Valencia and France’s Kylian Mbappe for the leading goalscorers in Qatar.
Currently with PSV in Eredivisie, the top league in the Netherlands, Gakpo’s performance in Qatar is considered a breakout. He has garnered attention from multiple clubs throughout Europe, most notably Manchester United.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.