Cody Gakpo: Liverpool and Netherlands striker announces loss of unborn child

Liverpool And Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo wants “privacy and space” after losing his unborn son.

Her partner, model Noah van der Bij, announced the news on Saturday. The couple were expecting their second child together, due in October.

Van der Bij posted a picture on social media of the pair holding hands on a blanket and knitted hat.

“With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy died during pregnancy,” she wrote.

“Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Love forever. Forever our son.”

She then posted a photo of a candle and cross, with the message: “We went to church to light a candle. Then, we went to the church playground with our son Samuel.

“There was only one other child. His name was Elijah. There couldn’t have been a better sign from God. He reminded us that our little boy is never far away.”

In a post of his own, Gakpo, who is on World Cup duty with his country, wrote: “This is an incredibly difficult time for our family.

“We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding.”

The 27-year-old started all three of the Netherlands’ World Cup group games, scoring twice against Sweden to help his country through to the knockout stages.

The Netherlands play Morocco in the last 32 on Tuesday (02:00 BST) in Mexico.