Jeremy Doku has said he holds no resentment toward the journalist whose criticism of his decision to leave Belgium’s World Cup camp for the birth of his first child triggered a major backlash.
The Manchester City winger had made clear before the tournament that he intended to be present when his wife, Shireen, gave birth, even if Belgium were still competing. The timing meant he could potentially miss a World Cup match, a decision that later became the subject of intense debate.
French presenter France Pierron strongly criticised the choice while appearing on L’Equipe’s channel, prompting widespread condemnation. L’Equipe later distanced itself from the remarks and issued an apology, while Pierron also apologised and was removed from the programme for the remainder of its season.
Doku ultimately missed Belgium’s goalless Group G draw with Iran after travelling back to the United Kingdom for the birth of his son, Praise. His absence had initially been attributed to illness.
The Belgian federation later confirmed that the 24-year-old had travelled to London with the approval of the national team and was accompanied by one of its doctors.
Doku had previously played 86 minutes in Belgium’s opening 1-1 draw with Egypt before leaving the squad.
Addressing the controversy on his YouTube channel, Doku acknowledged that the timing of the situation may have appeared unusual to some observers. However, he stressed that he did not want Pierron to face further hostility because of her comments.
Rather than criticising the presenter, Doku said he preferred to respond with compassion and noted that outsiders could not know what personal experiences may have influenced her view.
He also made clear that he did not want the incident to cost anyone their career and said he was neither angry with Pierron nor personally opposed to her despite the criticism directed at him.
The episode became one of the more unusual off-field stories surrounding Belgium’s World Cup campaign, but Doku has now sought to draw a line under the dispute while defending his decision to prioritise being present for the birth of his first child.