Cody Gakpo was thrilled when the final whistle sounded on Sunday. He got down on his knees, his head and hands almost disappeared in the grass of De Kuip. He had been looking for a top prize at PSV for a long time. And now the moment had finally arrived.
The 22-year-old Gakpo made his debut in the PSV main squad in February 2018. A dream that came true for the Eindhoven resident. It was already stoppage time in the duel with Feyenoord and it was not more than a minute. But it was the start of something very beautiful. PSV became champion that year and so the left leg experienced his first honor as a player of the first team. Sunday evening followed – finally – the next one.
Earlier this season he won the Johan Cruijff Scale, but then there was no ceremony. The cup win was celebrated with the fans. On the day of the won final, in our own Philips Stadium. He experienced that ceremony after the national title differently than this one, his role is also different. From a talent that was allowed to taste the first team to the captain and true leader of PSV.
That realization was also there after Danny Makkelie’s final whistle. PSV turned the game around on the basis of Gakpo. In a few minutes it went from a 0-1 deficit to a 2-1 lead. Gakpo made the second PSV goal himself, which later turned out to be the winning one. The combination of all those factors caused a burst of joy. “We fought hard for a year. And personally I am also a fan of PSV. If you then win a prize, the cup – after ten years again – emotions are released,” said the international after the game.
He was already looking forward to the ceremony. Also because he had already attended several before his debut. “I have experienced quite a few tributes. I have not missed a PSV tribute since I was alive and able to walk, so this is very special.”
Credits for winning the cup also went from Gakpo to trainer Roger Schmidt. It had been ten years since PSV won the cup tournament. In recent years, it was often eliminated early in the tournament, by clubs such as NAC Breda, RKC Waalwijk, Sparta Rotterdam and Roda JC. “The coach always said: this is the easiest prize you can win. You only have to win five games for it. He took it very seriously. In the end we took the prize, so that’s good.”
Schmidt already called the season a success for PSV. Won the cup and now second in the Eredivisie. The coach hopes to take another step there, towards the title. For Gakpo, who is increasingly associated with a transfer to a top league, that would complete the season.
Whether it will actually happen is the question, also for ‘The End Wizard’. “It could be. There are still five matches. We have to win all five. We no longer have it in our own hands. But with five victories we are increasing the pressure. Maybe they make some mistakes”, he pointed to Ajax. The losing cup finalist is four points clear in the competition. But that was a concern for later, first the cup win had to be celebrated properly.
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