Cody Gakpo was the name on every Liverpool fan’s lips on Saturday as the Dutchman fired in two more World Cup goals for the Netherlands against Sweden.
The left winger seems to reserve his best form for the big international tournaments, and it was nice to see him hit the front after a really difficult season with the Reds.
But although Gakpo has rightly been taking the headlines, Liverpool teammate Ryan Gravenberch quietly shone in the Dutch midfield. The 24-year-old also had a tricky campaign, but as Algemeen Dagblad pointed out after Saturday’s 5-1 win, Gravenberch now looks back to something like his best.
How does Andoni Iraola get the Netherlands version of Cody Gakpo for Liverpool?
This is not the same player 😭
Gravenberch looks close to his best at the World Cup
After a campaign in which he won the title with Liverpool and the Premier League Young Player of the Season on an individual level, Gravenberch had been expected to kick on again in 2025/26.
However, he could not seem to get to grips with his slightly more advanced role under Arne Slot, and even had supporters questioning his place in the team at various points of the season.
But in the Netherlands’ two World Cup matches so far, Gravenberch has reminded everybody of just what an accomplished midfielder he is.
That culminated in a terrific display against Sweden, which AD handed him a 7.5 out of 10 rating for, noting that Liverpool’s No. 38 ‘found his rhythm’ in Houston.
Gravenberch is said to have grown more and more into the game and is described as being ‘unstoppable’ as the match progressed.
His ‘skilful turns’ and ‘long strides’ are highlighted, and it is clear that, while Gakpo and Brian Brobbey scored the goals, Gravenberch was very much the driving force behind them. Goal scorers aside, nobody was given a higher rating than the Liverpool man.
Gravenberch’s star has fallen slightly after a decidedly ordinary campaign at club level. But the former Ajax star is one of the best young midfielders on the planet. If he can continue his good form alongside Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk, the Oranje really do have a chance of going all the way this summer.
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