Jeremy Doku facing a family decision at the World Cup: the birth of his first child is more important than any debate
Belgian international Jérémy Doku could briefly leave the national team camp during the 2026 World Cup to be with his wife Shireen for the birth of their first child. According to a Reuters report from Seattle, the 24-year-old Manchester City winger told Belgian journalists that the due date is expected in the second week of July, during a period that could coincide with the quarter-final stage of the tournament if Belgium continues in the competition. Doku did not present the decision as an ultimatum, but he made it clear that this is a personal moment he does not want to miss. His statement opened up a question that appears more and more often in elite sport: where is the line between a professional obligation to the national team and an athlete's basic right to be present for the most important family moments. The Belgian association, according to Doku's words reported by Reuters, understands the situation of its players and is ready to discuss logistics if leaving the camp proves necessary.
The due date could coincide with the most sensitive part of the tournament
Doku's family situation has become a sporting topic because it overlaps in time with the most important part of the expanded World Cup. FIFA states that the 2026 tournament is being played in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America, with 48 national teams and a total of 104 matches, which means that the road to the final stages is longer than in earlier editions of the competition. According to FIFA's official schedule, the final part of the tournament stretches through July, with the quarter-finals coming immediately before the last week of the competition and the final scheduled for 19 July. If Belgium were to get through the group and continue its path toward the final stages, Doku's possible departure to England, where according to Belgian media reports the birth is expected, would have to be organized quickly and precisely. Reuters reported that Belgian media mentioned the possibility of a private flight, after which the player could return to the United States of America if Belgium were still in the tournament.
For Doku's national team, this is not only an emotional issue, but also a practical one. FIFA has confirmed squads of 26 players for the 2026 World Cup, so coaches have a somewhat broader squad than in older formats, but losing a player of that profile in the knockout stage can still change the match plan. Doku is a winger who gives Belgium speed, one-on-one play and the ability to open up space in matches in which opposing defences are set deep. Such a profile cannot always be replaced simply by changing a name in the starting line-up, because it affects the way the team moves, attacks the flanks and creates overloads in the final third of the pitch. Still, the very fact that a temporary departure is being discussed does not mean Belgium is already facing a final decision; everything depends on the timing of the birth, Belgium's result in the tournament and the coaching staff's assessment at that moment.
Doku: Nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child
Doku, according to Reuters' report, said that he would like to be present if the birth happens while Belgium is still in the tournament. "It depends on when it happens, but this is my first child and I would definitely want to be there," he told Belgian journalists, in a translation of the statement carried by international media. He added that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child, but also acknowledged that football involves many other circumstances that must be taken into account. Such wording shows that the player is not denying the importance of the World Cup or his obligation to the team, but is trying to reconcile two responsibilities that cannot simply be placed in the same category. Doku's message therefore resonated more widely than the usual news from a national team camp.
At the centre of the debate is not only the question of one match or one national team, but also a change in the way the public views professional athletes. The football calendar is becoming increasingly crowded, international competitions last longer, and players more and more often spend weeks away from their families during periods in which important personal events take place. In such circumstances, the decision to be with one's partner for the birth of a child cannot be viewed exclusively through sporting benefit or risk. For some fans and commentators, the national-team shirt at the World Cup represents the peak of a career and an obligation that must not be interrupted, while others believe that not even the biggest match can outweigh a parent's presence at the birth of a child. Doku's case has therefore become an example of a clash between traditional expectations of athletes and a modern understanding of parenthood.
Belgium is counting on him, but the association does not want to ignore personal circumstances
Belgium arrived at the World Cup as a national team with an experienced core and an ambition to get close again to the latter stages of a major competition. FIFA stated in its official presentation of Group G that Belgium is competing against Egypt, Iran and New Zealand and that this is its 15th appearance at World Cups. The team is led by Rudi Garcia, and among the names in the squad are players who have marked Belgian football over the past decade, including Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku. Doku belongs to a different profile of that generation: he is not a veteran of the golden period, but one of the players expected to bridge the transition between the older leaders and the new phase of the national team. Precisely for that reason, his possible absence in knockout matches would carry both tactical and symbolic weight.
The Belgian football association has not, according to the available information, publicly challenged Doku's wish to be with his family. On the contrary, Doku said that he knows the association supports its players and understands their situations, and that they will see what can be done. Such an approach points to an attempt to solve the problem operationally, rather than disciplinarily or polemically. In the modern national-team environment, logistics are often just as important as sporting preparation: distances between host cities, time zones, player recovery and travel schedules can influence how quickly someone can return to camp. If the departure happens, the key question will not only be whether Doku will be available for a particular match, but also in what physical and mental state he will return after a transatlantic journey and an emotionally intense event.
Group G further increases the importance of every absence
The context of Belgium's group makes the story even more sensitive. The Royal Belgian Football Association announced that the Red Devils opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Egypt, and in the second round they were due to face Iran in California on 21 June. In a group containing Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, every point can change the path toward the knockout phase, especially because the expanded World Cup format allows some third-placed national teams to advance as well. FIFA states in its official information about the group that the schedule and possible knockout-stage pairings depend on the position in the group, which means it makes a difference whether a national team finishes first, second or possibly third. For Belgium, it is therefore important to keep as many key players as possible available, but the same also applies to internal trust in the dressing room.
Doku's case shows that managing a national team at a major tournament is not only a matter of tactics and form. The coach and the association must take players' private circumstances into account, while not damaging the sense of unity within the group. If the team accepts that leaving because of the birth of a child is justified, the decision can turn into an example of support and maturity. If it were perceived as a privilege or an exception without a clear explanation, it could open up unnecessary tensions. For now, there is no confirmation that any final plan has been activated; according to the available information, this is a scenario for which Belgium is preparing in case the due date overlaps with the continuation of the tournament.
Criticism from part of the public provoked an equally strong response
Doku's statement drew criticism from some commentators, and there was particular discussion about the appearance of French television presenter France Pierron. British media, among them talkSPORT and The Guardian, reported that her comments about Doku's intention to be present at the birth provoked a strong public reaction. According to those reports, Pierron later apologized and explained that the views expressed were personal, not the official position of the newsroom or the programme. Such a development shows how quickly a sporting topic can turn into a broader social debate about fatherhood, responsibility and expectations of public figures. It also exposed the difference between an older understanding according to which athletes are expected to be fully available and a newer approach in which family life is not considered an obstacle, but part of the human context of a professional career.
The criticism was based on the argument that the World Cup is an exceptional opportunity and that a professional footballer should not leave the team during a competition of such importance. However, such an argument does not answer the question of why a father's presence at the birth of his first child would be less important simply because it happens at an inconvenient moment in the sporting calendar. Doku did not announce a permanent departure from the team, nor did he say he would refuse to return if Belgium needed his help. According to the information known so far, the discussion concerns a temporary departure and return, with the support of the association and depending on the circumstances. That is why some of the reactions can also be read as an excessive simplification of a situation that is, by its nature, personal, unpredictable in timing and organizationally complex.
The Manchester City winger is one of Belgium's key assets
Manchester City states in its official profile that Doku joined the club from French side Rennes and signed a contract until the summer of 2028. At City he has earned a reputation as a player who can change the rhythm of a match with an individual run, and it is precisely that quality that gives Belgium an additional dimension when facing an organized defensive block. For a national team that still relies on experienced creators, Doku's directness and speed are important because they enable a different way of attacking from slower positional play. In World Cup matches, where one move can decide progression or elimination, that profile of player is especially valuable. That is why it is understandable that every possibility of his absence is being followed carefully, especially if Belgium qualifies for the stage in which there is no longer any margin for error.
Still, sporting importance does not change the basic nature of the decision Doku is facing. The birth of a first child cannot be scheduled according to FIFA's calendar, and a national team that wants to be stable must also take unpredictable life circumstances into account. If the journey happens, Belgium will have to find a balance between supporting the player and preparing the team for a match that could decide the further course of the tournament. If there is no overlap, the debate will remain a reminder of the pressure to which athletes are exposed on the biggest stage. In both cases, Doku's message remains clear: playing at the World Cup is an exceptional professional obligation, but the birth of his first child is, for him, a moment that requires equally serious respect.
Sources:
- Reuters via The Star portal – report from Seattle on Doku's statement, the due date, possible travel and the position of the Belgian association (link)
- FIFA – official 2026 World Cup schedule, tournament format, number of matches and hosts (link)
- FIFA – official overview of Group G and the context of the Belgian national team at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- FIFA – official announcement of Belgium's squad and confirmation that the team is led by Rudi Garcia (link)
- Royal Belgian Football Association – information on Group G, the match against Iran and Belgium's draw with Egypt (link)
- Manchester City – official profile of Jérémy Doku and information about his arrival from Rennes and contract until 2028 (link)
- talkSPORT – report on reactions to France Pierron's comments and her subsequent apology (link)