Doku Ignites Heated Debate in Belgium

Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku announced before the World Cup even began that he might temporarily leave the Belgium camp to attend the birth of his first child. The due date is set for the second week of July, which could coincide with potential quarter-final matches if the Red Devils advance to that stage of the tournament.

"It depends on when it happens, but it's my first child, so I would really like to be there," he told the media. "If you ask me what I want, my answer is that no one 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 is understanding. We'll see what we can do."

However, this quickly sparked a serious debate, not only in Belgium but also in French media. L'Équipe journalist France Pierron expressed the opinion that a father's presence during childbirth is absolutely unnecessary and that playing in a World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In contrast, athletes like Jérôme Pineau and Brahim Asloum took a firm opposing stance, stating that "family comes first" and "a child is your whole life."

The media also presented two contrasting examples. Kingsley Coman left the French camp twice, in 2021 and 2024. Both instances occurred during the European Championship with the French national team. The winger temporarily traveled to Sweden to be with his wife, who was about to give birth, before rejoining the national squad. In the summer of 2025, however, Antoine Griezmann remained with Atlético Madrid in the United States to play in the Club World Cup while his wife was giving birth to their fourth child.