Liverpool and Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, announce the death of their baby boy during pregnancy. Multiple outlets report that van der Bij shared the news via an Instagram post, describing a miscarriage and saying “our little boy passed away during pregnancy.” The couple’s statement also identifies the baby as Elijah (with Metro and other reports using “Elijah Raphael Gakpo”). Prior reports cited that Gakpo and van der Bij confirmed their second pregnancy earlier, with their first son, Samuel, born in 2018.

The Independent and other coverage note that Gakpo is currently away with the Netherlands squad at the FIFA World Cup, while Premium Times, Times of India, and Metro report that he issued a request for privacy for their family during the difficult time. Sources consistently emphasize that the announcement comes from the couple’s social media messages and that Gakpo continues to represent the Netherlands in the tournament despite the personal loss.