Doku says he holds no grudge against World Cup critic

According to BBC Sport, Belgium’s Jeremy Doku has said he is “not against” the journalist who criticised his plan to leave the national team’s World Cup camp in order to attend the birth of his first child. Doku had decided to temporarily leave the Belgian squad during the tournament to be present at the birth, a decision that drew critical comments from the journalist. The remarks have now prompted a direct response from the winger.

Addressing the episode publicly, Doku stated: “I am not against that journalist.” He gave no further details about his relationship with the journalist or whether they had since been in contact. The player’s comments serve to clarify his position and make clear that he holds no grudge over the criticism. Balancing international duty with personal milestones is rarely straightforward, and Doku’s decision to prioritise the birth inevitably drew attention.

The incident became one of the side stories of Belgium’s World Cup campaign. For those interested, related match highlights from Belgium’s games are available on this website.