World Cup star mourns the loss of stillborn son

Netherlands football player Cody Gakpo shared that he and his partner suffered the heartbreaking loss of their preborn son in the midst of Gakpo's competition in the World Cup.

Key Takeaways:

• Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, are parents to one child, a son named Samuel.

• They were expecting their second child, a boy named Elijah, with van der Bij due in October.

• Van der Bij broke the news on social media that the couple had suffered a heartbreaking pregnancy loss.

• Gakpo decided to continue playing, and after scoring a goal, fell to the ground sobbing while surrounded by his teammates.

The Details:

In May, van der Bij shared a carousel of photos on Instagram with Gakpo and their son, Samuel, to share they were expecting again. "Our little family is growing," she wrote. "[W]e can’t wait to meet you."

Tragically, the couple lost their son, who they had named Elijah. Though they have not said how far along van der Bij was, her due date was in October, making her at least 22 weeks pregnant when she broke the news, which classifies their loss as a stillbirth; pregnancy loss before 20 weeks is classified as miscarriage, and after, stillbirth.

"With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy," van der Bij posted to her Instagram Stories on June 27. "Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son."

She then added another post with a photo of a candle and a cross at church, and said they had gone there to pray as a family:

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 shared himself about the loss, writing, "This is an incredibly difficult time for our family. We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding."

Zoom In:

His team has been publicly supportive of him in his grief, and said they would respect whatever decision he made regarding playing in the competition. Ultimately, Gakpo chose to carry on, though his teammates and coach said it is a sad reminder that some things are bigger than sport.

"It's awful news, and you're right, it reminds us that football is secondary and there are much more important things in life," Dutch captain and Liverpool teammate Virgil Van Dijk said. "Cody is dealing with it, and he's determined to help the team reach the next round."

Head coach Ronald Koeman agreed, adding, "As you said, it was very sad news that Cody and his family received. We've done everything in our power to support him as players and staff."

The support Gakpo had from his team was on full display in their most recent game. The Netherlands advanced to the knockout round of the World Cup, and in their game against Morocco, Gakpo scored a crucial point, allowing the team to take the lead.

Immediately, he fell to his knees and openly sobbed; his team, however, didn't hesitate, and surrounded him in an open show of support — even the substitutes who were not currently on the field.

When Gakpo rose to his feet, he was still openly weeping, but pointed to the sky, seemingly in tribute to his preborn son. On Instagram, van der Bij shared the photo to her stories and wrote, "So proud."

The Netherlands ultimately lost in a penalty shoot-out, and have been eliminated from the World Cup.

The Bottom Line:

Pregnancy loss has typically been covered up and kept quiet, leaving countless grief-stricken parents to suffer alone and in silence.

Gakpo's bravery and open emotion helps bring awareness to the reality of pregnancy loss, how painful it is for both parents as well as siblings, and the difference support from a community can make.