play or watch for a birth

Having a child is more important than playing a World Cup. Three prospective parents had to leave their respective national teams in Russia to attend the birth of their children, all with the approval of their coaches and their teammates.

On Tuesday, the flying Fabian Delph will probably miss England's match against Colombia in the last 16 years by the birth of their third child.

"Some things in life are more important than football," said coach Gareth Southgate of England. "Right now, he has to pay attention to his family."

Southgate echoed the trend of this World Cup

The Swiss striker Breel Embolo will be available Tuesday to face Sweden after returning home, a few hours after the draw 2-2 with Costa Rica last week

Embolo, 21, was able to be there for the birth of his son and described it as "the most beautiful 24 hours" of his life

The trend began with the team from Denmark, who made a collection for his companion Jonas Knudsen to return home on a private plane. Knudsen's daughter was born, but the team wanted him to see her as soon as possible.

"You have to have a perspective in life," said Southgate. "Everyone tells you that there is only one opportunity to be in the World Cup, but there is only one day in your life where your son was born. "

This has not always been the case in football. There is the case that occurred in England in 1989, when a Queen's Park Rangers player was fined two weeks when he was away for a match home.

The technician who ordered the foul, imposed The English player Trevor Francis was fired shortly thereafter.

For the Swedish captain Andreas Granqvist the situation is a dilemma. His selection will be with Switzerland in what could be his last World Cup, with 33 years. Granqvist stayed in Russia with the sight of his wife, Sofie, who is about to give birth to her second child in Sweden.

"I'm completely focused on tomorrow's game and my wife feels very strong," Granqvist said Monday.

Southgate acknowledged that his decision to let go of Delph, who played in the previous two games in England, is something that was not the norm.

"My father's generation and the previous I saw him differently," said the coach of England, who has earned a reputation for his ductile wardrobe management. "But you must be there for your family. "