Jeremy Doku slammed by French journalist for leaving World Cup to attend birth of his child

Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku is at the centre of a social media storm after L’Equipe presenter France Pierron publicly condemned his decision to leave Belgium’s World Cup squad to attend the birth of his first child.

Doku started in Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egypt in their tournament opener but indicated he could miss group-stage fixtures this month to be present for the birth. Speaking on the L’Equipe channel, Pierron did not hold back: “You can’t miss a World Cup… And now, you’re not going to the match to cut an umbilical cord? You have the chance to participate in a World Cup, and there are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place, but you’re going to leave all that to go and witness the birth of your child, which is a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the father is useless, he has a role as an extra.”

The comments were clipped and shared widely on social media, where they were met with widespread condemnation. Critics pointed out that Pierron and L’Equipe have form in this area. In 2019, the outlet was forced to apologise after former Auxerre coach Guy Roux mocked PSG and Brazil defender Marquinhos for missing a Ligue 1 match to attend the birth of his child, saying: “Are men the ones giving birth now? Isn’t there a doctor in Paris to deliver this woman’s baby?” Journalist Bertrand Latour added: “Marquinhos’s going to be breastfeeding now,” prompting laughter on set before an awkward silence. Pierron also drew criticism two years ago over comments about accommodations made for athletes wishing to care for their children during the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Doku himself had addressed the situation calmly before the tournament began. “It depends on when it happens, but it’s my first child, so I would definitely want to be there,” he said. “If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football involves many other considerations. I know the federation supports its players and understands their situations. We’ll see what we can do.”

Belgium have not issued a formal statement on Doku’s availability. The 22-year-old has made clear his ambition to be a central figure for the Red Devils in this tournament, telling FourFourTwo he is “really looking forward to it” — a statement that underscores just how seriously he is taking his international duties, even as he navigates one of the most significant personal moments of his life.