Jeremy Doku To Miss Belgium’s World Cup Clash With Iran

Belgium winger Jeremy Doku has been ruled out of the Red Devils’ second World Cup group-stage match against Iran at SoFi Stadium due to illness.

Rudi Garcia’s side will face Iran on Sunday seeking their first victory of the tournament after opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Egypt, but they will have to do so without the Manchester City forward.

“Due to illness, Jeremy Doku will not be part of the squad for our upcoming game against Iran,” Belgium announced on social media.

Doku started against Egypt but struggled to impose himself and was replaced by Matias Fernandez-Pardo in the 86th minute.

The 24-year-old could also be unavailable for a potential knockout-stage fixture, with his wife expected to give birth to their first child during the second week of July.

Doku is regarded as one of the brightest talents in the Belgian squad, which is seeking to rebuild following the collapse of its celebrated “golden generation,” whose era ended with a group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup.