Jeremy Doku became a father on Monday — and managed to fit it around a World Cup group stage. The Belgium winger flew from Los Angeles to London after receiving word that his wife's labour was imminent, witnessed the birth of a boy named Praise, and is expected back with the squad in Seattle by Tuesday evening.
It's the kind of story that cuts through the noise of tournament football. And credit where it's due — the Belgian setup handled it cleanly. Team doctor Brahim Hacene confirmed Doku had already been receiving medical treatment for a separate illness, meaning the flight carried no added risk. A second doctor, Brecht De Coninck, made the trip with him. "Everything went perfectly, and the mother, father, and baby are all doing wonderfully," Hacene said.
His absence already cost Belgium on Sunday
Doku had been ruled out of Belgium's 1-1 draw with Iran in Los Angeles before any of this — coach Rudi Garcia confirmed on Saturday that he'd known since Friday the winger wouldn't feature. "I don't want to get players to play if they're not medically up for the game," Garcia said. A reasonable position, though it left Belgium without one of their sharper attacking threats against an Iran side they should, on paper, have beaten.
Two draws from two games — against Egypt and Iran — leaves Belgium in a precarious position in Group G. They need a result against New Zealand in Vancouver on Friday, and the margin for error is gone. A Doku who's medically fit, emotionally settled, and back in training by midweek is worth something to those group stage odds.
Whether he's match-sharp after the travel, the illness, and the emotional weight of a new birth is a different question entirely. Garcia will have a few days to make that call. "I can get players to play even if they're not 100 percent physically, but 100 percent medically is more important" — his own words, and they'll apply here too.
For now: baby is healthy, Doku is on his way back, and Belgium still haven't won a game at this World Cup.
