Cody Gakpo requests privacy after unborn son's death

Liverpool and Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo has asked for "privacy and space" following the loss of his unborn son. His partner, model Noa van der Bij, announced the news on Saturday, revealing that their baby boy died during pregnancy.

The couple were expecting their second child together, with the baby due in October. Van der Bij shared a picture on social media of the pair holding hands over a blanket and a knitted hat. In the post, she wrote: "With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy. Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son."

She later posted a photo of a candle and a cross, with a message describing a visit to church: "We went to church to light a candle. Afterward, we walked to the church playground with our son Samuel. There was only one other child there. His name was Elijah. There could not have been a more beautiful sign from God. He reminded us that our little boy is never far away."

Gakpo's statement

In a post of his own, Gakpo, who is currently on international duty with the Netherlands at the World Cup, wrote: "This is an incredibly difficult time for our family. We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding."

On-field commitments

The 27-year-old forward has started all three of the Netherlands' group-stage matches, helping his country advance to the knockout rounds. He scored twice against Sweden during the group phase. The Netherlands are scheduled to face Morocco in the round of 32 on Tuesday at 02:00 BST in Mexico.

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