Jeremy Doku is set to be back in contention for Belgium’s decisive final World Cup group-stage fixture after briefly leaving the squad to return to London for the birth of his son.
The 24-year-old Belgium winger had come under sharp criticism from a French presenter over his decision to depart camp before Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Iran.
Doku’s wife, Shireen, had not been expected to give birth until the second week of July, but the couple learned the baby’s arrival was imminent while the Manchester City player was in Los Angeles over the weekend.
He had already been ruled out of Belgium’s match because of a respiratory issue, and the national team’s medical staff cleared him to travel back to the UK.
Doku and Shireen have since welcomed their son, Praise, who was born healthy despite arriving earlier than anticipated.
The forward is now expected to return to Seattle, where Belgium’s squad are based, before Friday’s meeting with New Zealand in Vancouver.
Jeremy Doku is expected to return to the United States in time for Belgium’s final group-stage match
The 24-year-old Manchester City winger travelled back to London as he and wife Shireen welcomed their first child
The Belgian FA said in a statement: ‘Jeremy received news before yesterday’s match that the birth was imminent.
‘As he had already been receiving appropriate medical treatment for several days, he was able to fly without medical risk to be with his family during this very special moment.
‘He was accompanied by my colleague, Dr. Brecht De Coninck. Everything went perfectly, and the mother, father, and baby are all doing wonderfully. Jeremy will rejoin the squad tomorrow (Tuesday) evening in Seattle.’
Doku made it clear that he had no intention of missing the birth of his first child during an interview with Reuters ahead of the tournament.
‘It depends on when it happens,’ he said, ‘but it’s my first child, so I would definitely want to be there.
‘I know the federation supports its players and understands their situations. We’ll see what we can do.’
However, French journalist France Pierron launched an extraordinary rant when she heard news that Doku would be temporarily leaving the Belgian squad.
The L-Equipe reporter described his decision as ‘disgusting’, and claimed fathers are ‘useless’ during childbirth.
‘The World Cup is an incredible joy,’ she began her argument. ‘There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your shoes. It might never happen again in your life.
‘You’re living out a childhood dream, yet you’re going to walk away from it all to attend the birth of your child – a disgusting moment, if you’ll pardon the expression, where the dad is completely useless.
‘You are not going to cut an umbilical cord; you can’t miss a World Cup.’
A number of footballers rallied around Doku in the wake of Pierron’s comments, including England forward Ollie Watkins.
‘I think for a start (disgusting) is not a way to label a birth,’ Watkins noted. ‘It only happens once, your first child. Welcoming them into the world is a blessing, and you don’t get that opportunity (again).
‘I see where (Doku) is coming from. I think he has all the right to go back and be there,’ he continued, stressing that Doku, a ‘very privileged man’, would be able to make the journey as quickly and comfortably as possible.
‘I’m sure he will have a lot of support to be able to get there as quickly as possible, make sure he’s there to support her (wife Shireen), and then fly back out,’ he added.
Belgium sit third in Group G heading into their crunch match against New Zealand on Friday, and require a win to secure their qualification to the knockouts.
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