Doku Becomes a Dad After World Cup Drama

Jeremy Doku is now a father. The Belgian football association shared this news on Monday. This comes just days after Doku's decision to leave the World Cup for the birth of his child created some controversy.

Doku got permission from medical staff to leave the Red Devils before last Sunday’s game against Iran. He flew to London to be with his wife, where they welcomed a baby boy named Praise.

“Jeremy received the news before yesterday’s match that the birth was imminent,” said the team’s doctor, Brahim Hacene.

Doku missed the Sunday match because he was not feeling well. “As he had already been receiving the appropriate medical treatment for several days, he was able to fly without any medical risk to be with his family during this very special moment,” the doctor explained.

“Mother, father, and baby are all doing wonderfully,” he added.

Doku is set to rejoin his teammates in Seattle on Tuesday. He is seen as one of the best young players in the Belgium squad. The team has had a decent start to the tournament, drawing both of their matches so far.

The 24-year-old made it clear before the Red Devils’ first match that he wanted to be present for the birth of his first child. This drew some backlash from various people.

A host on L’Equipe TV, linked to a famous French sports newspaper, questioned Doku’s choice. The presenter said fathers were “useless” during childbirth and noted that many footballers would love to play in a World Cup.

These comments sparked a lot of reactions online. L’Equipe had to apologize and clarify their stance. The presenter has since been taken off her show.

Doku played in Belgium’s opening match against Egypt but did not make much of an impact. He was replaced later in the game. The team’s scoreless draw against Iran in Los Angeles faced criticism from Belgian media, which was harsh about the team’s performance.

Belgium is trying to rebuild after their “golden generation” struggled and exited at the group stage in the 2022 World Cup. They can secure a spot in the last 32 with a win against New Zealand in their final group match on Friday.