Footballer Jérémy Doku, who will represent Belgium at the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, has made it clear: he wants to be present for the birth of his child, which is imminent. He prefers to carry his baby from day one rather than lift a trophy. A French journalist didn't hesitate to comment on this decision. Her stereotypical remarks went viral and, more importantly, reignited the debate surrounding the role of fathers in the family.
The choice of Jérémy Doku is divisive.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the sporting event of the year. Behind the cleats and numbered jerseys are players, but also sometimes expectant fathers. Because yes, they have lives outside of stadiums and the pitch. Some already have large families, while others are preparing to welcome their first child.
While Norway's defender Leo Ostigard followed the birth of his son via video call, player Jérémy Doku wants to be physically present for this happy event. He made this clear. "If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football involves many other considerations," he told reporters.
A key player for the Belgian national team, the 24-year-old winger is reportedly ready to jump on the first plane to witness the birth of his son, expected in the second week of July. "I know the federation supports its players and understands their situations. We'll see what we can do," he stated. While his desire to become a father was met with support within the team, the reaction was quite different on the set of "L'Équipe." Journalist France Pierron expressed her incomprehension with some shocking remarks.
"Hundreds of footballers would kill to be in your place. And you're going to give up all that to go and witness the birth of your child? It's a disgusting moment, where the father is useless. He has a role as an extra (...) Guys may have taken out a loan to come. They may have sacrificed everything and you're not going there to cut an umbilical cord," she said on air.
The persistent image of the father as a mere "extra" during childbirth
After this "uncontrolled outburst," the journalist was dismissed from the media outlet . However, while internet users spontaneously gave her a red card for her inappropriate remarks, others sided with her, citing professional imperatives and recalling the crucial role of the player on the field.
"He knows beforehand… he's a professional, so he doesn't leave," one internet user commented, thus trivializing the father's absence during this precious moment. According to many of the comments, the player can abandon his wife but not his team. A very archaic view of parenthood, which is often a solitary affair for mothers.
In the collective imagination, fathers are of no use on the day of childbirth: they faint, put on their sterile slippers instead of a surgical cap, and transmit their stress to the mother. They are merely there, if that. Yet, within the walls of the maternity ward, they are like the fans in the stands: they offer tireless support and solidarity. No study has examined this subject to date, reflecting a deafening indifference surrounding this male experience.
Another problem: overly involved, over-complimented fathers
As a midwife pointed out in a video testimonial , many fathers prefer to wave their country's flag during a match rather than hold their wife's hand during the final contractions. However, while Jérémy Doku refuses to be passive, choosing to disregard his sporting obligations, this doesn't exactly make him a "modern hero." The most empathetic internet users are quick to praise him: "He's courageous," "It's incredible," "What a respectable father," or even "The mother is lucky."
Adorned with a "medal of honor" online and practically hailed as "father of the year," Jérémy Doku receives almost more acclaim than on the day of a final. What is ordinary for a woman becomes extraordinary for a man. And the explanation is simple: society has so normalized the absence of the father that as soon as he volunteers to be present at the birth, it makes him "an exceptional being."
Certainly, the player "takes risks" and "jeopardizes his career," but women do the same every time they become pregnant. In 2021, for example, Icelandic player Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir, who played for Olympique Lyonnais, did not receive her full salary during her pregnancy. And in this case, it was simply a round trip to greet her newborn, not a permanent abandonment of her post.
Challenging fatherhood stereotypes is everyone's responsibility
In a society where men have a rushed paternity leave that barely lasts a month, it's time for fathers to reclaim their place, without waiting for public recognition. This idea is gaining traction on social media, embodied in particular by engaged fathers who advocate for a more equitable distribution of roles, gender equality, and who want to rectify all the past mistakes. To the journalist who accused the player of lacking a sense of priorities, the content creator @papaplume replied , "It's not a lack of professionalism, it's knowing what's important in life."
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What shocks some is not so much the decision itself as what it implicitly reveals: the idea that a father might choose motherhood over career advancement remains, for many, an exception that requires justification. As if paternal involvement were still considered a bonus, rather than a given.
Conversely, others point out that elite sport imposes its own logic, constraints, sacrifices, and urgent hierarchies. This purely competitive perspective, however, perhaps overlooks one simple thing: careers come and go, matches follow one after another, while some moments are never repeated.
