Jérémy Doku Faces Emotional World Cup Dilemma as First Child’s Birth Approaches
Belgium star Jérémy Doku could face one of the toughest decisions of his career during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the birth of his first child expected while the tournament is still underway.
The Manchester City winger has revealed that his wife, Shireen, is due to give birth in the second week of July — a period that coincides with the World Cup quarter-finals should Belgium progress that far.
Doku has made no secret of his desire to be present for the life-changing moment.
“It’s my first child, so I would definitely want to be there,” the 24-year-old told reporters.
“Nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child.” Belgium’s football federation has indicated it would support the player if arrangements need to be made for him to temporarily leave the squad.
Reports in Belgium suggest contingency plans, including private travel arrangements, are already being considered.
The situation adds an emotional dimension to Belgium’s World Cup campaign. Doku is one of the team’s most important attacking players and is expected to play a major role as Belgium pursue a deep run in the tournament.
However, Belgium have also been dealing with a more immediate concern. Doku has been ruled out of the team’s crucial group-stage clash against Iran after failing to recover from a respiratory infection.
Belgian officials remain hopeful that he will return in time for the final group match against New Zealand.
The debate surrounding Doku’s potential absence later in the tournament has attracted significant attention across Europe.
Some commentators questioned whether a player should leave a World Cup camp for family reasons, but many fans and fellow professionals have defended Doku’s position, arguing that family milestones are more important than football.
For now, Doku’s focus remains on recovering from illness and helping Belgium reach the knockout stages.
But as the World Cup progresses, the winger could soon face a decision that transcends football.
Whether Belgium are competing for a place in the semi-finals or not, Doku has made one thing clear: the birth of his first child is a moment he does not want to miss.
