Belgium winger Jeremy Doku is set to rejoin his national team at the ongoing FIFA World Cup after briefly returning to England to welcome the birth of his son.
The Manchester City star and his wife, Shireen, celebrated the arrival of their baby boy, whom they named Praise, on Monday.
Doku’s temporary departure from Belgium’s World Cup camp attracted criticism from a television presenter on L’Equipe, who questioned his decision to leave the squad during the tournament.
The 24 year old had already missed Belgium’s goalless draw against Iran due to illness after featuring in the team’s opening 1 to 1 draw with Egypt.
Reacting to the birth of his son, Doku described the moment as one of the greatest blessings of his life.
“Welcoming my son into the world is one of the greatest blessings God has ever given me,” he wrote on Instagram.
He added that his attention has now shifted back to football as he prepares to return to the Belgian squad for the remainder of the competition.
“Now it’s time to get back to football and represent my country on the biggest stage,” he said.
Belgium currently sit third in Group G and will face New Zealand in Vancouver on Friday in a crucial final group stage match as they battle for a place in the knockout rounds.
