Jeremy Doku has returned to Belgium's World Cup squad in Seattle after flying to England to witness the birth of his son Praise, a decision that sparked widespread debate about the obligations placed on professional footballers.

The Manchester City winger had featured in Belgium's opening Group G match — a 1-1 draw with Egypt — but was absent from their 0-0 stalemate against Iran. His camp initially cited illness as the reason for his absence before Belgium confirmed the real situation.

In an official statement, Belgium said: "With the approval of and accompanied by one of our team doctors, Jeremy travelled to London to be with his wife for this unique occasion. Jeremy will rejoin the squad on Tuesday evening in Seattle as preparations continue for the next match against New Zealand."

A father's choice

Doku, 24, had spoken candidly about the difficulty of the decision before leaving. "If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child," he told Reuters. "But I also know that football involves many other considerations. I know the federation supports its players and understands their situations. We'll see what we can do."

The choice drew support from across the game. England striker Ollie Watkins, himself a father of two, described the birth of a first child as "a blessing" and said missing such a moment would be "tough." He also pushed back on a French television presenter who called birth a "disgusting moment" and branded a father's presence there "completely useless."

That presenter, L'Equipe channel's France Pierron, faced immediate backlash. L'Equipe issued an apology, stating her comments were "very far removed" from its values, while Pierron herself apologised. The channel confirmed she would remain off-air until her current show's season ends on 3 July.

Players 'like gladiators in the Colosseum'

The Professional Footballers' Association weighed in, arguing that the demands placed on players should not come at the expense of "fundamental family moments." A PFA spokesperson added: "Supporting players as people, not just athletes, is an important part of creating a healthy professional working environment."

Jeremy Davies, deputy chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, offered a pointed observation to BBC Sport. "It makes me think of gladiators in the Colosseum," he said. "We want these men to be these heroic figures who exist for our entertainment. They get paid lots of money but there are some things that are worth a lot more."

Former Brentford and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, working as a pundit at this World Cup, put it plainly: "Football is the most important of not important things — so it is not important at a time like this." Frank said he had always told his players it was their call, adding: "I recommend you be there."

A well-worn path

Doku is far from alone in navigating this tension. In 2018, Fabian Delph left England's World Cup camp in Russia to attend the birth of his daughter, and David Silva missed two Manchester City matches that same year following the premature arrival of his son. Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was granted extended leave in 2021 when his partner Edurne gave birth during the Covid pandemic.

Not every player has been able to make the same choice. Norway defender Leo Ostigard watched his son's birth on FaceTime from the World Cup this week, while Ruben Neves witnessed the birth of his third child via his phone on Wolverhampton Wanderers' team bus in January 2021, after pandemic travel restrictions prevented him from joining his wife in Portugal.

FIFA regulations guarantee female footballers a minimum of 14 weeks' paid maternity leave, but there is no equivalent paternity provision for men — leaving each case to be handled individually between player, club, and federation.