Belgian footballer Jeremy Doku becomes a father to a baby boy
Doku's availability for the Iran match was already in doubt as he was recovering from a respiratory infection that prevented him from training in Los Angeles.
Manchester City and Belgium footballer Jeremy Doku has become a father for the first time with his wife Shireen, welcoming a baby boy named Preise, the Belgian Football Federation (BFA) announced on Monday.
The BFA said: "Jérémy was informed before the match yesterday that labor was imminent. In consultation with the Red Devils medical staff, it was decided to temporarily allow him to join his wife in London."
Doku's availability for the Iran match was already in doubt as he was recovering from a respiratory infection that prevented him from training in Los Angeles. However, team doctor Brahim Hashen confirmed that the player was prepared to take a long flight to attend his partner's birth.
Belgium’s World Cup campaign has so far disappointed fans, with draws against Egypt and Iran. The news of Doku’s departure from the camp prompted criticism from some quarters. A television presenter who suggested that fathers were “useless” during childbirth and that the World Cup should take priority faced severe social media backlash and subsequently issued a public apology and was suspended.
Doku is expected to rejoin the squad on Tuesday ahead of their match against New Zealand in Seattle on Friday.
(Photo Courtesy: BFA/Twitter)
