Joy for Jeremy Doku as Belgium star welcomes baby boy after leaving World Cup camp

Belgium and Manchester City star Jeremy Doku has welcomed his first child after temporarily leaving the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be by his wife’s side for the birth.

The Belgian Football Federation confirmed that Doku and his wife, Shireen Raymond, have welcomed a baby boy named Praise, bringing a joyful conclusion to one of the tournament’s most closely followed off-field stories.

Doku’s departure came shortly before Belgium’s goalless draw against Iran. The winger is now expected to rejoin Belgium’s squad in Seattle and be available for the remainder of the tournament after making the trip back to London for the birth.

According to Belgian team officials, the 24-year-old received news that the birth was imminent and was cleared to travel after receiving treatment for a respiratory illness that had already ruled him out of the match.

The Belgian federation later confirmed that both mother and baby were doing well following the birth.

“As he had already been receiving the appropriate medical treatment for several days, he was able to fly without any medical risk in order to be with his family during this very special moment,” Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene said in a statement per The Telegraph.

“He was accompanied by my colleague, Dr. Brecht De Coninck. Everything went perfectly, and the mother, father, and baby are all doing wonderfully. Jérémy will rejoin the group tomorrow evening in Seattle.”

The moment marked a significant personal milestone for Doku, who had previously made it clear that witnessing the birth of his first child was something he did not want to miss.

“It’s my first child, so I would definitely want to be there,” Doku said before the tournament.

Doku’s decision became one of the most discussed talking points of the World Cup after French television presenter France Pierron criticised the idea of leaving the tournament to attend the birth.

Her comments triggered widespread backlash across football, with many players, pundits and supporters defending Doku’s decision to prioritise his family.

The controversy eventually became so significant that French sports outlet L’Équipe publicly distanced itself from the remarks and issued an apology, stating that the comments did not reflect the organisation’s values.

For many supporters, the birth of baby Praise now feels like the perfect ending to a debate that sparked strong opinions across the football world.

The timing is important for Belgium as the Red Devils have drawn both of their opening World Cup matches.

Belgium faces a crucial final group-stage encounter against New Zealand as they attempt to secure qualification for the knockout rounds.

Doku remains one of the 2018 semi-finalist's most important attacking players, and his return provides a major boost at a time when the team needs inspiration.