Jeremy Doku, the 24-year-old Manchester City winger and one of Belgium’s most important attacking players, has told the world he plans to leave the 2026 FIFA World Cup camp if his wife goes into labor during the tournament. His wife is due in the second week of July, which happens to line up almost perfectly with the quarterfinal stage.
The reaction has been, predictably, a mess. French sports presenter France Pierron went on air on June 20, 2026, and called childbirth a “disgusting moment,” arguing that fathers play a minor role in the delivery room anyway.
The backlash and the counter-backlash
Pierron’s comments lit a match under what was already a simmering debate. The core question: does a player owe it to his country to stay at a World Cup, even if his first child is being born thousands of miles away?
Doku started in Belgium’s opening matches at the tournament, making him a genuine contributor rather than a fringe squad player riding the bench. If Belgium advances deep into the knockout rounds, his absence would be felt on the pitch.
