France Pierre clarifies remarks on Jeremy Doku’s World Cup fatherhood debate

French sports journalist France Pierre sparked controversy after accusing Belgian forward Jeremy Doku of abandoning the 2026 World Cup to travel to England for the birth of his son. Her remarks were made on L’Équipe TV and quickly drew widespread criticism.

In the studio, Pierre described the World Cup as “een ongeëvenaard geluk” and argued that “er zijn honderden voetballers die een moord zouden plegen om in jouw plaats te staan”. She added that a father’s role at a birth is “een figurantenrol” and that “Hij heeft daar een figurantenrol. Als vader houd je haar hand vast en neem je een foto”.

The following day Pierre posted on social media: “Ik wil enkele zaken verduidelijken”. She wrote that her comments reflected a personal opinion, not a collective stance, and expressed regret that they may have “choqueren, kwetsen of beledigen”.

Former Olympic boxing champion Brahim Asloum publicly rebuked Pierre, saying “Als ik me de komst van mijn kind voorstel... En de vreugde die dat met zich meebrengt”. Asloum emphasized he would “onmiddellijk op het vliegtuig stappen … om zo snel mogelijk thuis te geraken” to be present for his child’s birth.

Jeremy Doku acknowledged his dual responsibilities, stating “Ik weet ook dat er veel komt kijken bij voetbal”. He indicated that, if necessary, he could arrange his return to England between two World Cup matches to avoid missing a game.

Doku’s son is expected to be born during the knockout phase of the tournament, specifically in early July around the round‑of‑16 and quarter‑finals. According to the information provided, there is no plan for him to miss a World Cup match despite the timing.