IT IS AN impressive list. Ruud Gullit, Ronald Koeman, Romário, Ronaldo, Phillip Cocu, Jaap Stam, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben have all donned the red and white of PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch club played a crucial role in shaping their illustrious careers. It is doing the same to Cody Gakpo, too.
The 23-year-old has had a phenomenal 2022-2023 season. Deployed as a left-winger, he racked up 30 goal contributions (13 goals and 17 assists) in 24 games till the World Cup break, more than any other player in Europe’s six top leagues—England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands. But, the fact that he plays in the relatively less competitive Dutch league led to lingering doubts. Can he perform on bigger stages, under pressure?
His performance in the group stages of the World Cup shows he can. In the first two matches, he helped a sub-par Dutch side earn four points with two brilliant goals. He added a third in a comfortable 2-0 win against Qatar as the Netherlands secured the top spot in Group A. Tougher tests are in the offing, starting with the round of 16 match against the US on December 3.
This story is from the December 11, 2022 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 11, 2022 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
