Overview
- Doku flew to London and was present for the birth of his first child, a son named Praise, with the Belgian federation confirming the mother and baby were doing well and he will rejoin the squad.
- Team doctor Brahim Hacene said Doku, who had been treated for a respiratory illness, was cleared to travel and returned to Belgium’s World Cup camp to prepare for selection.
- The move provoked sharp criticism from French presenter France Pierron, who called childbirth ‘disgusting’ for fathers, then apologised while L’Équipe publicly distanced itself from her remarks.
- Teammates and other figures publicly defended Doku, and he and his wife posted messages of gratitude on social media as he reported back to training.
- The episode has reignited debate over how football handles paternity leave and player welfare, highlighting that FIFA has no universal paternity rules and prompting calls from player bodies for clearer policies.