In a short time, Jeremy Doku has established himself as one of the top players in Manchester City and the Belgium national team.
However, while most people are familiar with Doku’s football career, his personal life and background might be a mystery to some.
The Manchester City forward has African ancestry, as his parents, David and Belinda Doku, immigrated to Belgium from Ghana.
Below is a detailed look at Jeremy Doku’s life, from his Ghanaian roots to his parents, siblings, and more.
He was born in Antwerp, Belgium
Jeremy Doku is the son of David and Belinda Doku. He was born in Antwerp, Belgium on May 27, 2002.
Although Doku is a Belgian citizen, he has African roots, as his parents immigrated from Ghana to Belgium in 1993.
At first, things were not easy in the new country, as Doku’s father had to support the family by working in the construction industry.
The footballer’s parents even struggled to pay his club fees, buy him new shoes, or get him flashy phones like his friends.
However, Doku’s commitment to his football career paid off, and he now plays for one of the best clubs in Europe.
He started playing football at a young age
Jeremy Doku was born into a sporting family. His father was a former athlete, while his older brother played football for Anderlecht’s youth academy, a local club in Antwerp that he would later join.
It is thus not surprising that Doku would follow into a sporting career.
However, growing up in the Borgerhout neighbourhood in Antwerp, outdoor space for playing football was limited.
Therefore, Doku and his older brother spent much time playing football on a concrete pitch at Luitenant Naeyaertplein in Antwerp.
The footballer joined KVC Olympic Deurne when he was five years old. He then played for a few other youth systems like Tubantia Borgerhout and Beerschot, before moving to Anderlecht at 10.
Doku’s childhood was not just football; his parents also wanted him to get a good education. Therefore, he got his primary education in Antwerp and later attended a boarding school in Brussels.
However, life in Brussels was demanding as he had to balance the boarding school with his football training. Therefore, at 16, he changed schools in favour of a less intensive academic schedule.
The school change went well, and Doku later earned a diploma in media and communication.
He has three siblings
The Manchester City forward is the second born in a family of four children.
He has an older brother, Jefferson Doku, who used to play for Anderlecht Youth Academy and is a football agent, according to his Instagram profile.
Doku also has two younger sisters, though little is known about them. However, in a video posted on TikTok, one of the sisters is shown performing some cool football skills.
He can speak the Twi language
Jeremy Doku is of Ghanaian descent. In an interview on the Premier League Chair, the youngster spoke of his Ghanaian roots and revealed that he also speaks Twi, a Ghanaian language.
The Manchester City star also revealed that he had visited Ghana before and fell in love with the country’s music and how Ghanaians talked and danced.
Due to his Ghanaian descent, Doku would have been eligible to play for the Ghana national team.
However, he chose to represent Belgium and has since earned several call-ups to the Belgium national team, effectively closing the door on the opportunity to play for Ghana.
He left Belgium for France in 2020
Doku spent most of his youth career playing for the Anderlecht youth system. At 16, he made his professional debut for Anderlecht’s senior team.
The Belgian national spent the next two years playing for Anderlecht, making 35 appearances and scoring five goals. During this time, he also played alongside Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany.
However, in 2020, Doku left Anderlecht and Belgium, signing for the French Ligue 1 club Rennes for €26m. He spent three seasons in France, appearing 75 times for Rennes and scoring ten goals.
He moved to England in 2023 when he signed with Manchester City
In 2023, Jeremy Doku left France for England after signing with EPL club Manchester City for €65 million. The first season for Doku at City has gone well; he has made 36 appearances and scored five goals.
While Doku joined the Premier League in 2023, he had a chance to do so earlier as a teenager.
On the eve of his 16th birthday, several clubs were interested in him, with Liverpool being one of the top contenders.
The footballer visited Liverpool, where he was given a tour of Melwood training ground and spoke to Jurgen Klopp, Steven Gerrard, and Sadio Mane.
However, in the end, Doku chose to remain at Anderlecht, mostly on the advice of Romelu Lukaku, who urged him to break through in Belgium first.
