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Belgium's star winger Jérémy Doku left the 2026 World Cup to be present at the birth of his firstborn son, Praise, who arrived on Monday.
Doku had already been sidelined for Belgium's clash against Iran on Sunday due to a respiratory illness. Still not fully recovered, he was accompanied by a team physician on his journey to London to reunite with his wife, Shireen, after receiving the required clearance from the Belgian football federation to step away from the tournament for the momentous occasion.
The trip is expected to be brief, however, as Doku is scheduled to return across the Atlantic on Tuesday evening. The Manchester City winger will link up with the Red Devils in Seattle ahead of the squad's final group stage fixture against New Zealand on Friday, per the federation.
The announcement came just days after Doku had publicly expressed his wish to leave the prestigious soccer tournament for his child's birth, which had originally been expected in the second week of July. Doku had anticipated the delivery coinciding with the quarterfinal stage, expressing his desire to be by his family's side regardless of whether Belgium was still in contention.
"It's my first child, so I would definitely want to be there," Doku said, per Reuters.
"If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football involves many other considerations. I know the federation supports its players and understands their situations. We'll see what we can do."
The discussions with the federation clearly took place far earlier than anticipated, resulting in Doku's sudden departure in the middle of the group stage. Provided he makes a full recovery from his illness, he is not expected to miss any additional matches — welcome news for Belgium, who desperately need a catalyst to secure their spot in the knockout rounds.
Doku Welcomes New Life, Belgium Appears Lifeless
Doku's choice to leave the tournament ignited significant debate online, perhaps reflecting broader public attitudes toward fatherhood among elite athletes.
England forward Ollie Watkins, himself a father of two, was quick to come to Doku's defense. "I don't think it's anyone else's business what he gets up to after training," he said, per BBC.
"Somebody labelled it 'disgusting,' and I think, for a start, that's not a way to label a birth. Like he said, it only happens once, your first child. Welcoming them to the world is a blessing, and you don't get that opportunity [a lot]. There's a lot of times where you're away from family and friends for the season, and it's a very difficult period, so to miss [the birth] would be tough. I see where he's coming from. I think he has all the right to go back and be there."
"We're very privileged men at the end of the day. I am sure he will have a lot of support to get back and get there as quickly as possible. Make sure he is there to support her and then fly back out."
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
Belgium will be desperate to have Doku back in action as soon as possible. Without their winger wreaking havoc down the left side with his sharp dribbling and explosive movement, the Red Devils could only manage a frustrating goalless draw against Iran. They now sit on just two points in Group G after also drawing with Egypt in their opening match last week.
Belgium will require a win against New Zealand on Friday to guarantee their place in the round of 16 — a precarious situation for a side that entered the competition as the heavy group favorites and a top-10 FIFA-ranked nation.