Debate on the presence of footballers' fathers at the birth of children during the 2026 World Cup

Manchester City footballer Jeremy Doku faced a difficult choice between being present at the birth of his first child and participating in the 2026 World Cup. The Belgium international, who is set to become a father next month, has expressed his desire to leave the training camp, even if Belgium continues to participate in the tournament. Doku's decision was met with criticism, including: from the host of the L'Equipe channel, France Pierron, who stated that the father's presence during childbirth was unnecessary. After a wave of criticism, L'Equipe apologized for these words, emphasizing that they were contrary to the station's values. Doku, who played 86 minutes in Belgium's opening match, a 1-1 draw with Egypt, missed the next match against Iran due to illness. His wife, Shireen, is due in the second week of July, which could mean Doku missing the quarter-finals if Belgium qualify for it. "Nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child," Doku said. Many footballers and football experts support Doku's decision. England striker Ollie Watkins, a father of two, said: "It's a blessing and it would be hard to miss it." In turn, the Professional Footballers' Association emphasized that players should be supported in combining professional duties with important life events. This is not the first time a footballer faces such a dilemma. Fabian Delph, David Silva and David de Gea also missed matches to be at the birth of their children. In turn, others, such as Ruben Neves and Leo Ostigard, had to observe the birth of their children remotely due to work commitments. The debate on the presence of footballers' fathers at the birth of their children shows that work-life balance is still an important topic in the world of sports. --- ## Related Articles 1. [해리 케인의 2026 월드컵에서의 변신](https://taegeukgoal.com/ko/news/2026-201) 2. [World Cup 2026](https://golmaru.com/news/fifa-2026-18)