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Belgium winger Jeremy Doku has revealed he suffered a frightening health scare during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, disclosing that he coughed blood, struggled to breathe and was diagnosed with fluid in his lungs before leaving the national team’s camp temporarily for the birth of his first child.
The Manchester City forward shared the experience in a video published on his YouTube channel, describing the ordeal as one of the most challenging periods of his football career.
According to the 24-year-old, his problems began shortly after Belgium’s match against Tunisia when a persistent cough developed despite recovering from an earlier illness.
“I started coughing every second. I couldn’t say a word without coughing,” Doku said.
The winger explained that his condition deteriorated after attending church with the Belgian squad, when he was suddenly overwhelmed by severe chest pain.
“Suddenly, here in my chest, I felt a pain that I’ve never felt before. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe in,” he recalled.
Despite receiving treatment from Belgium’s medical team and travelling with the squad to the United States, Doku said his health continued to decline, preventing him from training at full intensity.
“I couldn’t train properly that week. I was quickly tired and my coughing was still not gone. I even started coughing blood at one point,” he said.
The situation worsened further when another painful episode forced him to seek emergency medical attention.
“I went to the emergency. We did all the tests and we saw there was liquid in my lungs or something. I asked, ‘How did that happen?’ The doctor said it was uncommon,” Doku revealed.
Although he remained on medication, the Belgian international admitted the pain made it impossible for him to compete at his usual level.
“I spoke to the coach and told him, ‘Impossible. I cannot even run without feeling a heavy pain,'” he added.
While battling the illness, Doku received unexpected news that changed his priorities. He revealed that Belgium’s team manager woke him early one morning to inform him that his wife had gone into labour weeks ahead of her expected delivery date.
“The team manager told me, ‘Your wife, her water broke.’ I was shocked because she wasn’t due until July,” he said.
With his health already compromised, Doku immediately sought permission to return to London for the birth of his son, Praise.
“I told them, ‘Guys, I’m not able to play either way, so I’m going to go back to see my son.’ They didn’t even think twice,” he said, praising the Belgian Football Federation for supporting his decision.
The winger described the birth as a deeply emotional moment, saying he prepared for labour by watching YouTube tutorials and seeking advice from family members.
“I was first looking on YouTube to see how I could help my wife during labour. I didn’t want to get there and not know what to do. I was watching videos, asking my dad and other people,” Doku explained.
Reflecting on meeting his newborn son, he said: “Seeing him, I was like, ‘He’s so little, so cute.’ It’s strange because my wife already had that connection with him, but for me it was different.”
Doku later returned to Belgium’s World Cup camp in time for the team’s final group-stage fixture and played a key role in helping the Red Devils reach the quarter-finals, where their campaign ended with defeat to eventual finalists Spain.
