Doku returned to the Belgium national team camp for the 2026 World Cup after the birth of his first child

Jeremy Doku has his priorities straight, proving that even the World Cup can't get in the way of the most important family moments. The 24-year-old winger of the national team of Belgium and English Manchester City temporarily left the location of the national team to attend the birth of his son Preyz in Great Britain. Doku played 86 minutes in the opening match of Group G against Egypt, but missed the next game against Iran. Although his absence was initially explained by illness, it later turned out that the footballer had an urgent flight to Great Britain - his wife Shirin was due to give birth. The Belgian Football Federation fully supported the player, issuing an official statement: "With the approval and accompanied by one of our doctors, Jeremy traveled to London to be with his wife for this unique occasion." Already on Tuesday evening, the player should return to the national team camp in Seattle, where the team is preparing for the decisive match against New Zealand. Doku himself, on the eve of his departure, emphasized the importance of his decision: "If you ask me what I want, my answer will be this: nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football includes many other considerations. I am grateful to the federation for its support and understanding of the situation." Despite the support of the team, Doc's decision caused an unexpected reaction in the French media. L'Equipe TV presenter France Pierron sharply criticized the football player. She called the father's presence at the birth worthless and the process itself disgusting. These comments caused a flurry of outrage. TV channel L'Equipe was forced to officially apologize, saying that the presenter's words were far from the company's values. Pierron herself also apologized, but management removed her from the airwaves. The reaction of the football community to Doku's decision and scandalous comments was demonstrably unanimous — colleagues and organizations came to the Belgian's defense. Ollie Watkins (England striker): Condemned the words of a French journalist, calling the birth of a child a blessing. He emphasized that football players spend too much time away from their families, so it is unacceptable to miss such moments. The Professional Footballers' Association: Stated that supporting players as individuals is the foundation of a healthy work environment and that the demands of sport should not come at the expense of fundamentally important family moments. Parenting Institute: Deputy CEO Jeremy Davies compared the treatment of today's players to gladiators: "We want these men to be heroic figures for our entertainment. They get paid a lot of money, but there are things that cost a lot more." Thomas Frank (former Brentford and Tottenham manager): Said going home was absolutely the right decision. "Football is the most important of unimportant things, so it is not important at a time like this. When he returns, he will be on top of the world," concluded the specialist. Currently, FIFA rules clearly regulate only maternity leave for women footballers (minimum 14 weeks). On the other hand, there are no specific provisions regarding paternity leave for men, so each case is decided individually. Doku is far from the first player to choose a family: In 2018, Fabian Delph left the camp of the England national team at the World Cup to attend the birth of his daughter. In the same year, David Silva received a leave of absence from Manchester City due to the premature birth of his son. In 2021, David de Gea received a long break to travel to Spain for the birth of his partner. However, not everyone manages to be there at such moments. Norway defender Leo Östigard watched the birth of his son via FaceTime this weekend. The Portuguese Ruben Neves had a similar experience in 2021, who watched the broadcast of the birth on his phone in the team bus due to Covid restrictions. We will remind, after two rounds, Rudy Garcia's wards are in 3rd place in Quartet G. In the decisive round, Belgium will play against New Zealand. The match is scheduled for June 27, starting at 06:00.