England striker Ollie Watkins backs Jeremy Doku after Belgium winger announces plan to miss World Cup games for birth of first child

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Ollie Watkins has defended Belgium winger Jeremy Doku after he announced his intention to take paternity leave during the FIFA World Cup, with qualification for the knockout stages still in the balance.

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The Aston Villa striker has thrown his support behind Doku's decision to return home during this summer's World Cup tournament for the birth of his first child, insisting family should come before football in such circumstances.

Doku, 24, missed Sunday's 0-0 draw with Iran due to a respiratory infection, but the Belgian has already revealed he plans to travel back to Europe during the second week of July, a move that could see him miss a potential quarter-final should Belgium progress that far in the tournament.

His decision sparked debate after French television presenter France Pierron described the prospect as a "disgusting moment", and suggested a father is "completely useless" during childbirth.

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Pierron has since apologised for the remarks, but Watkins made clear he has little sympathy for the criticism.

"Someone labelled it 'disgusting'. For a start, that’s not a way to label a birth," the England forward said in a press conference held ahead of Tuesday's encounter with Ghana in Boston.

As a father of two, Watkins spoke from personal experience, highlighting the importance of being present during one of life's most significant moments.

Ollie Watkins has plenty of sympathy for Jeremy Doku's situation

Image credit: Getty Images

"I have two kids," he continued. "I’ve seen what my wife had to go through in birth, and that was quite smooth sailing. I know family members and friends that haven’t had it that way. Your first child, welcoming them to the world, is a blessing.

”There’s a lot of times when you’re away from family and friends during the season, and it’s very difficult periods.

”So to miss that would be tough. I see where he [Doku] is coming from. He has all rights to go back and be there.”

Professional footballers are often required to spend extended periods away from their loved ones, whether through club commitments, international duty or major tournaments. Watkins believes that context should not be forgotten when judging Doku’s choice.

Jeremy Doku is set to miss more of the FIFA World Cup

Image credit: Getty Images

"We’re very privileged men at the end of the day, and I’m sure he will have a lot of support to get there as quickly as possible, make sure he’s there to support her and then fly back out.

"I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business what he gets up to after training."

The Aston Villa striker went on to stress that the decision ultimately belongs to Doku and his family, arguing that few would willingly sacrifice the opportunity to witness the birth of their child.

"If he goes back and does that, I think that’s fair enough," he said. "I would want to do it. I’ve got two kids and I don’t see the problem with it."

Doku’s situation has reignited the debate over the balance between professional obligations and family life at elite level, but Belgium demonstrated just how much they will miss his direct running and technical prowess during their stalemate with Iran.

Rudi Garcia's side, who were grateful for Mohamed Hany's own goal in taking a point against Egypt in their opening game, dug themselves a hole in their second Group G encounter after Nathan Ngoy was sent off for a professional foul in the second half.

By then, Belgium were already fortunate not to be behind after Mehdi Taremi's 25th-minute strike from a well-worked free-kick was ruled out for offside.

"We have to analyse what went wrong, because we created so many chances without scoring, and that’s frustrating,” rued Romelu Lukaku, who was hooked as part of a tactical reshuffle after Ngoy's dismissal. "We play with too much emotion in key moments."

Garcia added: "We weren't clinical enough. When there are few matches, you can’t miss one opportunity. We have a lot to work on, keep our heads down, like cyclists, keep pedalling on and on, show we can beat New Zealand and go on to the round of 32 and then see."

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