Because yes,there is tournament pressure,there is Belgium,there is quarter-final talk,but at same time,this is about birth of first child also.
Doku played 86 minutes in Belgium's opening 1-1 draw against Egypt in Group G,but then missed subsequent match against Iran due to illness . And now bigger personal situation is sitting in background because his wife,Shireen,is expected to give birth in second week of July.
And this is not small thing ah. If Belgium progresses,there is possibility that Doku may have to miss quarter-final match because of birth of his first child . People can talk tactics and commitment all day,but becoming father for first time is different emotional weight only.
Doku himself said it clearly:"If you ask me what I want,my answer is that nobody wants to miss birth of their first child." That line honestly says everything . He is not trying to disrespect football,he is just being human in middle of very public job.
But football rarely gives players clean choices. One side country duty,team pressure,knockout football . Other side wife giving birth,family moment that will never come back again . And tbh,expecting someone to just switch off that emotion because match is big feels a bit cold .
Support has also come for Doku from others,including Ollie Watkins,who understood why this should not be treated like some casual excuse . Watkins said,"I think someone labelled it disgusting and I think for start that's not a way to label a birth." He also spoke from his own experience as father and how hard it is when players are away from families during season.
Few things standing out in this whole debate:
- PFA's stance on family moments — The Professional Footballers' Association stressed that demands placed on players should not overshadow fundamental family moments .
- Fatherhood Institute's support — Jeremy Davies from Fatherhood Institute compared players to gladiators,highlighting importance of family over entertainment value .
- Historical precedents — Doku's situation is not unique; players like Fabian Delph and David Silva have previously prioritized family over football during significant life events.
And bigger issue here is lack of formal paternity leave regulations in football . FIFA mandates minimum of 14 weeks of paid maternity leave for female players,but similar provisions for male players remain unclear . So players like Doku are left to manage these deeply personal calls almost alone.
Football loves saying players are professionals and must sacrifice everything,but there has to be some line somewhere . First child,birth,family support… these are not side events in life.
But if Doku has to choose between Belgium match and being there for Shireen in second week of July,whatever he decides,someone will still judge him from outside…
