Van 't Schip leans on 2008 loss to guide Gakpo through grief

John van 't Schip, assistant coach of the Netherlands, addressed the personal tragedy surrounding Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo on Saturday 27 June. He recalled his own experience in Euro 2008 when teammate Khalid Boulahrouz lost his newborn daughter, drawing a parallel between the two painful situations.

Cody Gakpo and his partner Noa van der Bij announced on Instagram that their unborn son had died during pregnancy. The announcement came on Saturday 27 June and was made while Gakpo is a Liverpool player.

Van 't Schip served as assistant to Marco van Basten during Euro 2008, where he witnessed the death of Boulahrouz's newborn daughter. That episode shaped his understanding of how to support grieving players.

Speaking at Het Oranje Café, van 't Schip said, “These are of course private matters that you discuss with each other.” He explained that staff must handle the situation around Gakpo with sensitivity.

He added, “You give such a boy space and in this case we experienced it in 2008,” noting that Gakpo’s wife was not nearby and that the player might need a brief return, “like Jérémy Doku.” The comment highlighted the need for flexibility.

Van 't Schip described Gakpo as “an incredible connector” in the Dutch squad, emphasizing his strong faith and ability to bring teammates together. He believes the tragedy will only make Gakpo’s influence stronger.