Doku Criticized for Leaving World Cup for Birth
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- Jeremy Doku told Reuters his wife Shireen is due to give birth during the second week of July and he wants to return home from Belgium's World Cup camp even if the Red Devils reach the quarter-finals.
- The Manchester City forward, 24, said he "would definitely want to be there" for the birth of his first child but acknowledged "football involves many other considerations."
- France Pierron, a presenter for L'Equipe's channel, posted on the publication's Facebook page that a father is "completely useless" at the time of birth and described Doku's plan as "disgusting."
- Retired French boxer Brahim Asloum, who won light-flyweight gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, publicly backed Doku online, writing: "A baby is your entire life. A World Cup is over when it is over."
- Pierron later issued an apology on X, saying she was expressing a personal opinion and that her intention "has never been to minimise the place or role of fathers."
- Belgium confirmed Doku will miss their second World Cup group match against Iran (20:00 BST) due to illness, having drawn their opener with Egypt 1-1 under manager Rudi Garcia.
Why it matters: The episode has turned a private family decision into a public culture-war flashpoint, pitting a French sports-media personality against a French Olympic champion over whether a father belongs at the birth of his first child. For Doku and the Belgian federation, the unresolved question is whether he can leave camp mid-tournament — a decision that could come at the quarter-final stage of a World Cup that may define his career.
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