Another day, another Liverpool FC forward suffers an injury while on international duty. Friday night saw Alexander Isak suffer a thigh injury, and exit Sweden national team camp. He has returned to Liverpool for further evaluation and treatment. And then on Sunday, Cody Gakpo exited after only 17 minutes of The Netherlands’ Nations League match against Serbia in Belgrade. Gakpo went to ground after a strong challenge by Sasa Lukic after 12 minutes, and the play resulted in a booking for the Serbian midfielder.
Cody Gakpo has been forced off injured during the Netherlands’ Nations League clash ❌ pic.twitter.com/ZcP33Nt0x3
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 27, 2026
Gakpo initially tried to play through the pain, but eventually it became clear that he just could not carry on any longer. Gakpo received treatment on the pitch, after first going to ground, and he was then replaced by Ruben van Bommel.
He was later seen clutching his left ankle in noticeable discomfort. We now await official news from the Dutch football federation. And most likely, Gakpo will leave the Netherlands national team camp, and return to Liverpool for the rest of the FIFA window.
The club will obviously hope that this ankle injury is not very serious, and that Cody Gakpo can recover in time to make the next matchday squad. That will come two weeks from today, when they host Manchester City in the Sunday matinee headliner fixture.
Netherlands star Cody Gakpo is taken off in the first half due to an apparent injury 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/w2rVu1iSi2
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 27, 2026
Squad Injury Updates: September/October International Break
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Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.