Quick turns, swiftness, positional awareness, ball control and being adept at shooting with both feet. All these aspects sum up Cody Gakpo, the Dutch sensation who has been one of the talked-about players in this World Cup.

The first footballer in the Netherlands’ history to score in their first three games of a World Cup, the 23-year-old has been a central figure in the Oranje’s attacking line-up, playing a vital role in their march to the last-eight stage in Qatar.

Even when he isn’t scoring, Gakpo has proved he could be very effective in terms of assists. Just as he did in Saturday’s round-of-16 game against the United States.

Getting hold of the ball in the midfield, Gakpo charged in, evaded a rival defender and found Denzel Dumfries who was open on the right, before the latter’s set-up helped Memphis Depay give the Netherlands a 1-0 lead.

For the record, the PSV Eindhoven winger, who can also double up as a centre forward, has 12 assists to his name in 14 Eredivisie appearances this season along with nine goals. In five Europa League games, he has three goals and as many assists.

It’s not just about his talent and skills, though. Discipline, and willingness to learn and ask questions have also played a key role in Gakpo’s progress since his days at the PSV Eindhoven academy.

“Cody was an easy player to work with. He was the first on the training field and the last to leave,” Joonas Kolkka, a former coach at the Eindhoven academy, recalled.

“He used to be a bit stubborn and always wanted to play behind the striker (No.10). But he was always open to listening to the coaching that used to be imparted to him and the advice he got.

“It is quite difficult to say how good a player’s ability to evaluate himself is. But even at a young age, Cody’s focus was always on improvement. He often came to chat with the coaches and used to ask questions as well. He was always eager to learn more,” Kolkka, a former Finnish winger who also played for Eindhoven, Feyenoord, Borussia Monchengladbach and Crystal Palace, emphasised.

Luis van Gaal wanted Gakpo to operate as a No.10, something the youngster wasn’t very keen on. But he had to do it for the Netherlands head coach, and he ensured he did it well.

“Cody has everything it takes to become a star. He has a wonderful personality to become a star player because he is open-minded,” Van Gaal had said before the clash against the United States.

In the quarter final against Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on Friday, Gakpo will certainly be having a big task on hand.

More so, with the Argentina defence looking a little more compact and organised this time around than in the previous editions.

Are there any areas Gakpo may need to brush up a little while going into the clash against the Lionel Messi-led unit? “Cody’s a big guy, but he could still improve his heading and be more dangerous in the crosses and corners,” Kolkka pointed out.

“I would like to see him change his position more often during a game and thus make it difficult for the opponents.”

Even Manchester United had shown a fair bit of interest in roping in Gakpo. Make no mistake, if the Netherlands do go the distance, he will surely be having more takers.