Doku: 'I couldn't move and wanted to cry - I had to go see my son'

Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku recounted the intense physical and emotional challenges he faced during the 2026 World Cup, including a severe pulmonary infection and the birth of his first child. The 24-year-old Belgian international described the pain from his infection as unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"I had never felt such pain in my whole life," Doku stated in an upcoming YouTube documentary. "I couldn't move and I wanted to cry. It was one in the morning when I had to go to the emergency room." The infection forced him to miss Belgium's match against Iran and led to a brief hospitalization.

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I had never felt such pain in my whole life. I couldn't move and I wanted to cry. It was one in the morning when I had to go to the emergency room.

Adding to the difficult period, Doku had to temporarily depart from the Belgian national team's camp to travel to London for the birth of his son, Price. "I suddenly woke up. Someone told me: 'Your wife's water broke.' I thought I had to go see my son," he recalled.

Now a father, Doku is focused on balancing his professional career with his new family responsibilities. He expressed his commitment to being the best father he can be, navigating the demands of top-flight football alongside his personal life.

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I suddenly woke up. Someone told me: 'Your wife's water broke.' I thought I had to go see my son.