World Cup 2026: The Debate Over Child Birth in Men's Football
June 30, 2026 · Global
Jeremy Doku left Belgium's World Cup camp to attend the birth of his first child, sparking debate about the balance between family and football commitments.
Jeremy Doku has made it clear - family comes first. The Manchester City winger became a father after leaving Belgium's World Cup camp to attend the birth of his child in England. This decision was approved by his national team, but sparked criticism from a number of parties when he revealed his intentions. L'Equipe presenter Pierron criticized Doku by stating that a father is "completely useless" at the time of his child's birth, which he called a "disgusting moment". L'Equipe later apologized and stated that Pierron's comments were "very far from its values". Despite his apology, L'Equipe stated that he would remain out of action until the end of the current season on July 3. The reaction in the world of football – and beyond – was united. Doku played 86 minutes in Belgium's 1-1 draw against Egypt in Group G, but missed the 0-0 draw against Iran. His absence was explained as illness, with his wife, Shireen, expected to give birth in the second week of July. However, Doku actually flew to England to witness the birth of his son, Praise. A statement from Belgium on Monday said, "With approval and accompanied by one of our team doctors, Jeremy traveled to London to be with his wife for this unique moment. Jeremy will rejoin the squad on Tuesday evening in Seattle as preparations for the next match against New Zealand continue." Before returning to Europe, this 24 year old player emphasized the importance of being present at the birth of his child. "If you ask me what I want, my answer is that no one wants to miss the birth of their first child," Doku told Reuters. "But I also know that football involves many other considerations. I know the federation supports its players and understands their situation. We'll see what we can do." England striker Ollie Watkins, who has two children, supported Doku. "I think someone labeled it disgusting and I don't think that's the way to label birth," he said. "I've seen what my wife has had to go through and it's been pretty smooth, but I know family members and friends who haven't experienced it the same way. "It only happens once – welcoming your first child into the world – and it's a blessing. There's a lot of time where you're away from family and friends during the season and it's very difficult, so missing that would be difficult and I understand where he's coming from." The Professional Players' Association said the demands placed on players should not come at the expense of "important family moments." "While every situation is different, we believe players should be supported in aligning their professional responsibilities with important life events," a PFA spokesman said. "Supporting players as people, not just as athletes, is an important part of creating a healthy professional working environment." The Paternality Institute, which supports men as an involved father and carer, also supports Doku “It makes me think of the gladiators at the Colosseum,” deputy director, Jeremy Davies, told BBC Sport. They are paid a lot of money but there are some things that are much more valuable." FIFA rules state that maternity leave for female football players must be "a minimum of 14 weeks with paid leave", eight weeks of which must be after the birth. However, there are no specific provisions on paternity leave, leaving those in the men's game to manage their responsibilities. One club had a car ready outside the stadium for a player whose partner was about to give birth, while one manager at a leading European club did not go to the match to be with his wife who was about to give birth to their second child. Instead of being on the sidelines, he watched the game on TV and transferred instructions to his coaching staff “I used an earpiece to alert the bench and 10 minutes after the game started, my wife started feeling contractions,” said the manager who now works in the Championship. I called the hospital to tell them we were coming, but had to stop because we had a penalty. "We scored, I knew we had won, and we went straight away. Our daughter was born two hours later. This is less common with managers because they are usually older, but the game doesn't stop... You need to win the next game." Doku is not the first player to prioritize his presence at his child's birth over football. In 2018, Fabian Delph left England's World Cup camp in Russia to return to England for the birth of his daughter. David Silva, meanwhile, missed two Manchester City games following the premature birth of his son in 2018. And former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was given extended leave during the Covid pandemic when his partner, Edurne, gave birth to their daughter in 2021. However, there were also notable absences. Recently, Norwegian defender Leo Ostigard witnessed the birth of his son via FaceTime at the World Cup. Ruben Neves had a similar experience in January 2021 - watching the birth of his third child on his mobile from the Wolves team bus after a 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace. His wife returned to Portugal because her doctor was there, but Neves' plans to join her were hampered by travel restrictions due to the pandemic. When Roy Keane was assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland, he joked that Robbie Keane should be available to play in the match against Germany after the birth of his child "unless he is breastfeeding". Former Brentford and Tottenham boss Thomas Frank, who was also a pundit for BBC Sport during the World Cup, has dealt with a similar situation. "Football is the most important of things that don't matter - so it doesn't matter at a time like this," he said. "Seeing your wife or partner give birth is one of the greatest things you'll experience, and I think it's very important to be there. It's always been a priority to tell my players about it. I'd say: 'It's up to you - I recommend you be there.'" Frank stated that Doku coming home for the birth of his child was "the right thing to do", adding: "When he comes back, he'll be very happy."