# Jérémy Doku: World Cup or the birth of his child

- Original post: https://www.twitter.com/i/status/2068946902805012757
- Source account: [@TF1Info](https://x.com/TF1Info)
- Source language: French
- Target language: English
- Duration: 2:30
- Published: 2026-06-22
- Machine translated. Check the original before quoting.
- Canonical URL: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child
- Original-language version: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/fr/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-mondial-ou-naissance-de-son-enfant-le-d%C3%A9bat.md

## Transcript

[0:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child) Between playing in the football World Cup and attending the birth of your child, do you have to choose?

[0:06](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=6) A sports journalist from L'Équipe TV sparked controversy this weekend by claiming that the World Cup was a more important event, referring to the case of Belgian player Jérémy Doku, who will be absent from the World Cup because his partner is giving birth.

[0:21](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=21) So, what do you say? So first, indeed, the context: Belgian forward Jérémy Doku will leave the competition for the birth of his first child.

[0:29](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=29) This was cleared with the coach, and he will make a round trip.

[0:32](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=32) Now, what did the journalist say? I will transcribe her words for you: “ When you have the chance to play in a World Cup, there are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your shoes,” “ and you're going to leave all that to attend the birth of your child,

[0:43](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=43) which is a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is useless, he's just an extra.” It didn't look great.

[0:48](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=48) Indeed, needless to say, the video went viral.

[0:53](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=53) We're on a football show, in the middle of the World Cup, you know, we're not in the cozy atmosphere of the Academy of Fine Arts. So there's banter, people talk loudly, things get heated.

[1:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=62) This journalist is known for her outspokenness. She's a single mom.

[1:05](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=65) She had already said during the Olympics that she didn't understand how young mothers who are athletes are accompanied by their children during the competition.

[1:12](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=72) That can also be shocking. But do you take your kids to work? Well, no.

[1:15](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=75) Do you take an exam with your kids? Not that either, or at least it's very rare.

[1:19](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=79) Mind you, I'm not saying she's absolutely right. Her remarks were clumsy, she apologized. Well, her channel suspended her, frankly I find that very excessive.

[1:28](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=88) But she doesn't deserve the avalanche of insults she received.

[1:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=90) She says what she thinks, she has the right to think it. And I'll tell you, you can be on her side, you can be against her, but above all, everyone does what they want. In this World Cup, there are two dads who made totally different decisions. There is Jérémy Doku,

[1:41](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=101) whom we talked about, and Leo Østigård, Karim mentioned him earlier, a Norwegian defender who will play against Les Bleus on June 26, who decided, along with his partner, to stay in the US and be present via FaceTime during the birth. We see the footage,

[1:57](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=117) it was Saturday, he had a baby boy. But everyone experiences it in their own way. Everyone decided in private with their wife, there are no rules.

[2:06](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=126) There are artists who are sometimes on stage when they become dads, there are reporters who aren't at home either, there are sailors at sea, and plenty of other jobs where the father can't be there and the family takes over,

[2:17](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/JccxIYcCEDqT/en/j%C3%A9r%C3%A9my-doku-world-cup-or-the-birth-of-his-child?t=137) or the father doesn't want to. Personally, I like the idea of the father being there for this moment, which isn't always wonderful, she's not entirely wrong, but I like that idea. But it's up to each person to decide.