Belgian striker Doku wants to leave World Cup for birth of first child; gets mixed reactions

Belgian national team striker Jeremy Doku, who plays for Manchester City, has announced his desire to leave the World Cup camp to be with his wife Shirina for the birth of their first child, expected in the second week of July, which would coincide with the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.

The 24-year-old told Reuters that he definitely wants to be there, but also understands the football-related aspects. He expressed confidence that the federation would support players in such a situation.

Reaction to Doku's decision has been mixed. France Pierron, a presenter on the French sports channel L'Equipe, sharply criticized his choice, calling a father's presence at childbirth "completely unnecessary." She stated that the World Cup is an incredible opportunity that hundreds of footballers would dream of.

However, Doku received widespread support on social media. Former French boxer and Olympic champion Brahim Asloum defended him, emphasizing that a child is one's whole life, while the World Cup eventually ends.

Following the backlash, Pierron posted an apology on her X account, apologizing for statements that may have offended. She explained that she had expressed a personal opinion in the context of a heated debate.

It should be noted that on Saturday, the Belgian Football Federation confirmed that Doku would miss the team's second group match against Iran due to illness. In the first match, Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt.