Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku has welcomed his first child, a baby boy named Praise, following a brief absence from his national team’s FIFA World Cup camp to be with his family.
Doku was granted permission to temporarily leave the squad ahead of last Sunday’s match against Iran after learning that his wife was about to give birth. The football federation confirmed in a statement that the couple welcomed their son in London.
According to team doctor Brahim Hacene, Doku received news that the birth was imminent shortly before the match. The 24-year-old had already been ruled out of the fixture due to illness and had been undergoing treatment for several days.
“Jeremy received the news before yesterday’s match that the birth was imminent,” Hacene said.
“As he had already been receiving the appropriate medical treatment for several days, he was able to fly without any medical risk to be with his family during this very special moment.”
The doctor added that both mother and child were in good health.
“Mother, father, and baby are all doing wonderfully,” he said.
Prior to the tournament, Doku had expressed his desire to be present for the birth of his first child, a position that sparked debate among some football commentators.
A presenter on French sports channel L’Equipe TV questioned the decision, arguing that fathers played little role during childbirth and suggesting that many footballers would have eagerly taken the opportunity to participate in a World Cup.
The remarks drew widespread criticism on social media, prompting L’Equipe to issue an apology and distance itself from the comments. The presenter was subsequently suspended.