Cody Gakpo's Faith as Netherlands Prepare for Sweden Clash

In the heat of a Texas World Cup, Cody Gakpo says the bond holding the Netherlands together is being forged far from the cameras – in a quiet Christian prayer circle inside the team hotel.

The Dutch arrive at Saturday’s clash with Group F leaders Sweden in Houston under real strain. Three-time World Cup runners-up, they have already stumbled. A 2-2 draw with an impressive Japan in Arlington has left Ronald Koeman’s side chasing, not controlling, the group.

Sweden, by contrast, have hit the ground running. Graham Potter’s side look sharp, confident and ruthless. A 5-1 demolition of Tunisia, powered by the star pairing of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, has set an ominous early tone.

Gakpo, though, cut an upbeat figure at the Dutch base in Kansas City on Wednesday. The Liverpool winger is refusing to bow to the narrative of pressure.

“We have high hopes for ourselves,” he said. “I think we feel that we have a good group, and at the end we have to show it on the pitch and obviously go through in the group stage, and then push on.”

Prayer circle binding a tense camp

Behind that optimism lies something more personal. Gakpo revealed that a group of 11 or 12 players in the squad regularly come together to pray, a ritual he believes is knitting the team closer at a crucial moment.

“We often end up in conversations in which we talk about faith and I’m often one of those who leads the prayer,” he explained. “But everyone has their own role and their own contribution.”

The 27-year-old forward has seen the circle grow as the tournament has approached its first real crunch point.

“I think the group of guys is getting bigger and bigger. And I think it also brings a certain cohesion, of course,” he said. It is not just about football for them. It is about connection.

“Also outside of football, obviously, to get along well with each other. But also just to give each other strength, in moments like these when we really have to be there for each other.

“And that we can form a unity together. Not only on the pitch, but also outside it.”

In a squad carrying the weight of Dutch World Cup history and the scars of a shaky start, that sense of unity might prove as valuable as any tactical tweak.

Facing a familiar danger in Isak

If the Netherlands are to steady themselves, they must first survive a Sweden attack that looks built for tournament damage. At its heart is a striker Gakpo knows as well as anyone: his Liverpool teammate Alexander Isak.

Isak’s route into this World Cup has been anything but smooth. A big-money move from Newcastle to Anfield was followed by an ankle injury and fibula fracture that wrecked most of his first season. Only late in the campaign did he begin to resemble the player Liverpool thought they had signed.

“Special player, and we were very happy that he returned (from injury),” Gakpo said. “And at the end, I think he was fit, he scored some goals, and he played well.

“And obviously he started the tournament very well with his performance. And I think everybody knows how good a player he is, so we have to look (out for) him.”

Koeman’s back line will have seen the clips. Isak drifting off shoulders, Gyokeres running channels, Sweden swarming in the final third. Neutral eyes see a statement win over Tunisia; the Dutch see a warning.

Leaving Liverpool’s troubles behind

For Gakpo, this World Cup also offers a personal reset. His season at Liverpool ended in disappointment and upheaval, capped by the sacking of manager Arne Slot.

“Last season at Liverpool is not something a lot of people want to look back on, I think, unfortunately,” he admitted. “But that’s just football as well. And we just have to move on. Here it’s obviously a completely different environment, it’s a completely different team.”

That line matters. Different environment, different team, different responsibility. With the Dutch needing a result to keep their campaign on track, Gakpo is one of the players expected to carry more than his share of the burden – on the ball and, increasingly, in that growing prayer circle.

The stage now is Houston. The stakes are clear. Sweden are flying, the Netherlands are chasing, and somewhere between the pressure of the pitch and the quiet of those team prayers, Gakpo and his teammates must decide what kind of tournament this will be.