Jeremy Doku has shown considerable grace in addressing the furore that surrounded his decision to leave Belgium's World Cup camp to be present at the birth of his first child, saying he bears no ill will towards the television presenter who publicly criticised him for doing so.

The Manchester City winger had told Reuters before the 2026 World Cup began that he intended to return home when his wife Shireen gave birth, even if Belgium remained in the tournament. That moment arrived during the group stage, and Doku missed Belgium's 0-0 draw with Iran to fly back to the United Kingdom, where his son, Praise, was born.

The criticism that followed

His absence initially drew attention when Belgium described it as illness before a later statement clarified that Doku had in fact travelled to London to be with his wife — with the approval of, and accompanied by, one of the team's medical staff. It was that sequence of events that led L'Équipe channel presenter France Pierron to weigh in forcefully, describing a father as being "completely useless" at the moment of a child's birth.

The reaction to Pierron's comments was swift and largely hostile. L'Équipe issued a formal apology, stating that her remarks were "very far removed" from the organisation's values, and Pierron herself apologised before being taken off air until the end of the current series of her show.

Doku's measured response

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the 24-year-old Belgium international addressed the episode directly — and what stood out was his refusal to pile on. Rather than use the platform to condemn Pierron, Doku acknowledged that he understood why some observers found the timing of events suspicious.

"There was a lot of noise of course," he said. "I can understand why people felt like maybe this was orchestrated because it was too perfect."

On the presenter specifically, Doku was disarming. "I also saw the journalist speak about me and the situation and all the people getting at her," he said. "I just wanted to use this video as well to really... pray over her. I don't want to come at her in a way that most people did. I don't want people to be too harsh on her. We don't know what she has experienced. It's her opinion. She got fired and all these things. I never want this for a person. I'm not against her. I'm not angry at her or anything. She just said her opinion."

A question of priorities

The episode raises a broader point about what football culture expects of its players. The idea that a professional athlete should remain on duty during one of the most significant moments in his family's life — particularly when the club and national team medical staff were clearly supportive of his decision — reveals an outdated expectation that survives largely unchallenged in certain sections of the media.

Belgium, for their part, reached the quarter-finals of the tournament. Doku featured in the opening 1-1 draw with Egypt in Group G, playing 86 minutes before his brief absence. His contribution to the campaign was not diminished by attending his son's birth.

That Doku chose to respond with empathy rather than anger says something about his character. It would have been easy, and arguably justified, to respond with fury. Instead, he offered perspective — and in doing so, made a more powerful point than any sharp rebuttal could have managed.

Frequently asked

Why did Jeremy Doku leave the Belgium World Cup squad?
Jeremy Doku left Belgium's World Cup camp to be present at the birth of his first child, a son named Praise. He had previously stated publicly that he intended to do so regardless of where Belgium stood in the tournament. The departure was approved by the Belgium medical staff, who accompanied him.
What did the journalist say about Doku and what happened to her?
France Pierron, a presenter on the L'Équipe channel, described a father as being 'completely useless' at the time of a child's birth in reference to Doku's decision. L'Équipe apologised and said her comments were 'very far removed' from the organisation's values. Pierron also apologised and was taken off air until the end of her show's current season.
How did Belgium do at the 2026 World Cup?
Belgium reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. In the group stage, they drew 1-1 with Egypt and 0-0 with Iran — the latter being the match Doku missed — before progressing from Group G.