Jeremy Doku has said he would want to be present for the birth of his first child, even if Belgium are still in the middle of a World Cup run. His wife Shireen is due to give birth during the second week of July, and if Belgium reach the quarter-final stage, he intends to leave camp for the birth. Belgium also confirmed that he will miss their second group match against Iran because of illness.

The backlash and the support

The reaction has been sharper than the original interview. France Pierron called the idea of leaving camp "a disgusting moment" and went as far as saying the father would be "completely useless" in that moment. Brahim Asloum took the opposite view, saying: "A baby is your entire life. A World Cup is over when it is over."

Doku's own words were more measured than the row that followed. Speaking to the BBC, he said: "It's my first child, so I would definitely want to be there. 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."

Belgium's timing and Doku's tournament role

The timing gives the issue some tournament weight, but it has arrived early in Doku's World Cup. He has made one appearance in 2026, played 86 minutes and carries a 6.7 average across his last five matches, a mixed run that includes a 7.2 in the FA Cup, a 6.9 in a Premier League draw and a 6.3 in his latest World Cup outing.

That is the context around Belgium vs Iran, and it helps explain why the conversation has moved so quickly beyond one family decision. Belgium's last five World Cup results are D D L W W, so the team are still in a phase where every selection and every absence gets noticed. Doku is on 86 World Cup minutes, and his next step in the tournament now sits alongside a personal decision that has already drawn strong public opinions.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →