Cody Gakpo could face disciplinary action from the Football Association after unveiling a religious message during Liverpool’s 5-1 demolition of Tottenham Hotspur.
Recall it was the victory that effectively sealed the Premier League title for the Reds.
The Dutch forward netted Liverpool’s third goal at Anfield and celebrated by lifting his shirt to reveal an undershirt with the phrase “I belong to Jesus”, emulating Kaka’s iconic gesture from the 2007 Champions League final. The act earned Gakpo a yellow card on the spot.
However, further sanctions may follow. According to Law 4 of the International Football Association Board’s (IFAB) Laws of the Game: “Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images… For any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or by FIFA.”
The FA is reportedly assessing the incident and could issue a formal reprimand.
While Gakpo’s expression of faith echoes past examples from football’s history, the regulations leave little room for interpretation.
Liverpool’s win secured the Premier League crown with four matches to spare, marking a dominant close to the campaign.
Gakpo is expected to be available for their upcoming clash with Chelsea on May 4 — pending any further action from the governing body.
