Wikipedia

Kevin De Bruyne

(Redirected from Kevin de Bruyne)

In this Flemish name, the surname is De Bruyne, not Bruyne.

Kevin De Bruyne (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkɛvɪn də ˈbrœynə]; born 28 June 1991) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Belgium national team. Often regarded as one of the best players of his generation, he is known for his passing, technique, shooting and playmaking.[5][6][7]

Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne with Belgium in 2018
Personal information
Full name Kevin De Bruyne[1]
Date of birth (1991-06-28) 28 June 1991 (age 33)[2]
Place of birth Drongen, Belgium[3]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[4]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Manchester City
Number 17
Youth career
1997–1999 KVV Drongen
1999–2005 Gent
2005–2008 Genk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Genk 97 (16)
2012–2014 Chelsea 3 (0)
2012–2013 → Werder Bremen (loan) 33 (10)
2014–2015 VfL Wolfsburg 52 (13)
2015– Manchester City 268 (70)
International career‡
2008–2009 Belgium U18 7 (1)
2009 Belgium U19 10 (1)
2011 Belgium U21 2 (0)
2010– Belgium 107 (30)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Belgium
FIFA World Cup
Third place 2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:22, 26 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:15, 9 September 2024 (UTC)

De Bruyne began his professional senior career at Genk, where he was a regular player when they won the 2010–11 Belgian Pro League. In 2012, he joined English club Chelsea, where he was used sparingly and then loaned to Werder Bremen. He signed with Wolfsburg for £18 million in 2014, establishing himself as one of the best players in the Bundesliga and was integral in the club's 2014–15 DFB-Pokal win. In the summer of 2015, De Bruyne joined Manchester City for a then-club record £54 million. He has since won the UEFA Champions League, six Premier League titles, five League Cups and two FA Cups with the club. In 2017–18, he had a significant role in City becoming the only Premier League team to attain 100 points in a single league season. In 2019–20, De Bruyne equalled the record for most assists in a Premier League season and was named Player of the Season, the award he won for the second time in 2021–22. He was again heavily involved in 2022–23, as Manchester City sealed the continental treble in their most successful season to date.

De Bruyne made his full international debut in 2010, and he has since earned over 100 caps, scoring 30 goals for Belgium. He was a member of the Belgian squads that reached the quarter-finals at both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016. De Bruyne was named in the FIFA World Cup Dream Team of the 2018 World Cup, as Belgium finished in third place, as well as appearing at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.

De Bruyne has been named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season and IFFHS Men's World Team six times each, ESM Team of the Year and the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 five times each, the UEFA Team of the Year three times, and the France Football World XI and the Bundesliga Team of the Year once each. He has also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season three times, the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, Manchester City's Player of the Year four times, the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season, the Bundesliga Player of the Year, the Footballer of the Year (Germany), the Belgian Sportsman of the Year and the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker three times each. He was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award several times, ending third in the 2022 edition,[5] and fourth in 2023.[7]

Club career

Genk

De Bruyne began his career with hometown club KVV Drongen in 1997. Two years later, he joined Gent and moved to Genk in 2005. De Bruyne continued his development in their youth set-up and was rewarded for his progress by being promoted to the first team squad in 2008. From an Interview with his youth club, it was revealed that De Bruyne was a Liverpool fan and admirer of Michael Owen.[8]

De Bruyne made his first team debut for Genk in a 3–0 defeat at Charleroi on 9 May 2009.[9] Having established himself in the team the following season,[10] on 7 February 2010, De Bruyne scored his first goal for the club, which secured all three points for Genk in a 1–0 win against Standard Liège.[11] He scored five goals and made 16 assists in 32 league matches during the 2010–11 season as Genk were crowned Belgian champions for the third time.[12] On 29 October 2011, De Bruyne scored his first hat-trick for Genk against Club Brugge, which ended in a 5–4 win for Genk.[13] On 28 January 2012, De Bruyne scored a brace against OH Leuven in a 5–0 win. On 18 February 2012, De Bruyne scored his first goal back at Genk following his agreed transfer to Chelsea and also assisted the other goal in a 1–2 away win against Mons. De Bruyne ended the season by wrapping up the scoring in a 3–1 victory over Gent. He finished the league campaign with eight goals from 28 appearances.

Chelsea

 
De Bruyne warming up with Chelsea in 2013

On 31 January 2012, on the winter transfer deadline day, Premier League club Chelsea and Genk announced the permanent signing of De Bruyne, with the fee rumoured to be in the region of £7 million.[14] He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract at Stamford Bridge, but would stay at Genk for the remainder of the 2011–12 season. De Bruyne told the club website, "To come to a team like Chelsea is a dream but now I have to work hard to achieve the level that's necessary."[15][16] On 18 July 2012, De Bruyne made his debut for Chelsea in a friendly match against Major League Soccer (MLS) side Seattle Sounders FC in a 4–2 win. De Bruyne also played the first half against Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain at Yankee Stadium, New York City.

Werder Bremen (loan)

 
De Bruyne during his spell with Werder Bremen in 2012

On 31 July 2012, Chelsea announced that De Bruyne was to join Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on a season-long loan deal.[17] He scored his first goal for Bremen in a 3–2 defeat to Hannover 96 on 15 September, netting from 11 yards out after being played in by Eljero Elia.[18][19] He continued his good form, scoring in Bremen's next game, a 2–2 draw with VfB Stuttgart, on 23 September.[20][21] De Bruyne got back on the score sheet on 18 November, scoring the winning goal — despite his team being down to 10 men — as Bremen came from a goal down to defeat Fortuna Düsseldorf 2–1.[22][23]

De Bruyne scored his first goal in over two months on 4 May 2013, since netting a consolation goal in Bayern Munich's 6–1 hammering of Bremen, putting his side up 2–0 at home to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim before a late brace from Sven Schipplock meant that the game finished 2–2.[24][25] He followed this up with a goal in Bremen's next match, securing a place in the Bundesliga for the next season with a 1–1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on 11 May.[26][27]

Return to Chelsea

After a successful loan spell in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen, De Bruyne was linked with a move to stay in Germany with either Borussia Dortmund or Bayer Leverkusen. Incoming manager José Mourinho, however, assured De Bruyne he was a part of Chelsea's plan for the future, and the player officially returned to Chelsea on 1 July 2013.[28]

De Bruyne injured a knee while scoring his first goal for Chelsea, in a pre-season friendly game against a Malaysia XI,[29] but was fit to make his competitive debut on the opening day of the 2013–14 Premier League season against Hull City, and made an assist for the first goal in a 2–0 win.[30]

Wolfsburg

2013–14 season

On 18 January 2014, Wolfsburg signed De Bruyne for a fee of £18 million (€22 million).[31] On 25 January 2014, he made his debut for Wolfsburg in a 3–1 home loss against Hannover 96.[32] On 12 April 2014, De Bruyne assisted 2 goals in their 4–1 home win against 1. FC Nürnberg.[33] After a week he scored his first goal for Wolfsburg in 3–1 away win against Hamburger SV.[34] He also scored in the last two matches of the Bundesliga helping his team to win against VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Mönchengladbach.

2014–15 season

 
De Bruyne playing for Wolfsburg against Mainz in 2014

De Bruyne scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season on 2 October 2014, volleying in a clearance from outside the box to salvage a 1–1 draw against Lille in the Europa League.[35] In the third group match away to Krasnodar on 23 October, De Bruyne scored twice as Wolfsburg secured their first win in the competition with a 4–2 victory.[36] On 30 January 2015, he scored another brace in a 4–1 home win against Bayern Munich, their first Bundesliga defeat since April 2014.[37] On 1 March 2015, De Bruyne assisted three goals in a 5–3 win over his former club Werder Bremen.[38]

On 12 March 2015, De Bruyne scored two goals in a 3–1 first leg Europa League round of 16 victory over Internazionale.[39] On 15 March 2015, he scored one goal and assisted another two in 3–0 victory over SC Freiburg.[40]

De Bruyne ended the league season with 10 goals and 21 assists, the latter a new Bundesliga record, as Wolfsburg finished second in the Bundesliga and qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League.[41][N1] On 30 May 2015, he started and scored in the 2015 DFB-Pokal Final as Die Wölfe defeated Borussia Dortmund 3–1 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.[42]

De Bruyne ended his breakout season with 16 goals and 27 assists in all competitions,[6] and was named the 2015 Germany Footballer of the Year.[43]

2015–16 season

De Bruyne began the season by winning the 2015 DFL-Supercup against Bayern Munich, providing the cross for Nicklas Bendtner's 89th-minute equaliser for a 1–1 draw and then scoring in the subsequent penalty shootout.[44] On 8 August 2015, he continued his good form by scoring his first goal of the season, and providing two assists in a 4–1 win at Stuttgarter Kickers in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.[45]

In August, in the midst of transfer speculation, De Bruyne said that he would not force Wolfsburg to sell him, but also said that he could not ignore interest from Manchester City, saying: "If an offer does come, I will hear about it and how much it is, but I have not yet heard anything... I would not go to England just to prove that I can play there. I do not have to go to England... If I go there it's because for me and for my family it is a good choice. That's the key for me."[46]

On 10 August, it was reported that Manchester City had made a second bid for De Bruyne worth £47 million. Wolfsburg sporting director, Klaus Allofs, said the club would fight to keep him, saying "I think some other clubs have definitely turned Kevin's head... Some huge figures are doing the rounds and I can understand why Kevin is leaving everything open."[47] On 27 August, it was reported that City had made a further bid for De Bruyne worth £58 million. Klaus Allofs said that City had made an "astonishing" wage offer to De Bruyne.[48]

Manchester City

2015–16 season

 
De Bruyne playing for Manchester City in January 2016

On 30 August 2015, Manchester City announced the arrival of De Bruyne on a six-year contract, for a reported club-record fee of £55 million (€75 million), making him the second most expensive transfer in British football history after Ángel Di María's move to Manchester United in 2014.[49][50] He made his debut for the team in the Premier League on 12 September against Crystal Palace, replacing the injured Sergio Agüero in the 25th minute.[51] On 19 September, he scored his first goal for the club against West Ham United in first half stoppage time in an eventual 2–1 loss.[52] He went on to score in a 4–1 League Cup win against Sunderland, on 22 September[53] and a 4–1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on 26 September.[54] On 3 October, he scored in the team's 6–1 win against Newcastle United.[55]

On 2 October, De Bruyne was announced as one of the players on the longlist for the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or award, alongside teammates Agüero and Yaya Touré.[56] Just 18 days later, on 20 October he was revealed by FIFA as one of the players on the 23-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or.[57] On 21 October, De Bruyne scored an injury-time winner against Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League, to take City within one point of group leaders Juventus, with three games remaining.[58] On 1 December, he scored a brace in a 4–1 win over Hull City to send Manchester City through to the semi-finals of the Football League Cup.[59]

On 27 January 2016, De Bruyne scored a goal in a League Cup semi-final 3–1 victory over Everton, but sustained an injury to his right knee that would keep him out of the team for two months.[60] On 2 April, De Bruyne made his return from injury in a 4–0 win against Bournemouth at Dean Court, scoring the team's second goal in the twelfth minute.[61] Four days later, he scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg at the Parc des Princes.[62] On 12 April, De Bruyne scored the winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain, advancing Manchester City to the Champions League semi-finals, for the first time in the club's history, on an aggregate score of 3–2. Writing in The Independent, Mark Ogden said, "It was a stunning goal from the Belgian, who took a touch to control the ball before curling it beyond Kevin Trapp from the edge of the penalty area."[63] De Bruyne's next goal came on 8 May 2016 in a 2–2 draw with Arsenal, although the result left City's Champions League qualification hopes out of their own hands.[64]

2016–17 season

"I think he is a special, outstanding player. He makes everything. Without the ball he is the first fighter, and with the ball he is clear – he sees absolutely everything."

—Pep Guardiola on 17 September 2016 describing De Bruyne after his brilliant performances for City[65]

On 10 September 2016, De Bruyne scored and assisted in the first Manchester derby of the season which City won 2–1 and was awarded the Man of the Match.[66] On 17 September 2016, De Bruyne was awarded the Man of the Match, in a 4–0 win over Bournemouth. De Bruyne scored the first, assisted the fourth, and provided key passes on both the second and third goals.[67] After the international break, Manchester City drew their next game, against Everton, played on 15 October 2016 with the scoreline finishing at 1–1. Agüero and De Bruyne both missed their penalties while Nolito came off the bench to equalise for City.[68]

On 1 November 2016, De Bruyne scored from a free kick in the team's 3–1 win over FC Barcelona.[69] On 21 January 2017, De Bruyne was involved in both of City's goals, as he netted once himself and also assisted Leroy Sané's, in a 2–2 home draw with Tottenham Hotspur; he was subsequently named man of the match.[70] On 19 March 2017, De Bruyne displayed an excellent performance in a 1–1 draw against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, where he set up a goal for Agüero.[71]

2017–18 season

 
De Bruyne during a pre-season training session in 2017

De Bruyne set up both Agüero's and Gabriel Jesus' goals, on 9 September 2017, in a 5–0 home victory over Liverpool.[72] On 16 September, De Bruyne assisted Agüero for his first goal in an eventual 6–0 win over Watford.[73] On 26 September, De Bruyne scored his first goal of the 2017–18 season in a 2–0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.[74] On 30 September 2017, he scored his first goal of the 2017–18 Premier League season, as City beat his former club Chelsea with a 1–0 scoreline at Stamford Bridge.[75] On 14 October, De Bruyne provided two assists in a 7–2 win over Stoke City.[76] On 5 November, De Bruyne scored in a 3–1 win over Arsenal.[77] On 18 November, he scored in a 2–0 away win over Leicester City.[78] On 29 November, he scored City's opener and assisted Raheem Sterling's last-minute winner in a 2–1 win over Southampton.[79]

On 13 December, De Bruyne scored in a 4–0 away win over Swansea City, which extended their record run of consecutive top-flight wins to 15 games.[80][81] On 16 December, he scored in a 4–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, with Pep Guardiola saying that De Bruyne is "helping the club become a better institution".[82][83] On 27 December, De Bruyne provided an assist for Sterling's goal in a 1–0 win over Newcastle United.[84] On 9 January, De Bruyne scored in a 2–1 win over Bristol City in the first leg of the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.[85] On 20 January, he provided an assist for Agüero's first goal of the game (who scored a hat-trick in the game), in a 3–1 win over Newcastle United.[86][87]

 
De Bruyne during the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, on 10 December 2017, which City won 2–1

On 22 January 2018, De Bruyne signed a new long-term contract with the club, keeping him at the club until 2023.[88][89] On 23 January, he scored the winning goal in a 3–2 win over Bristol City in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg, which helped City advance to the final, having won the tie by an aggregate scoreline of 5–3.[89] On 31 January, he scored and assisted in a 3–0 win over West Bromwich Albion, and was voted BBC Man of the Match.[89][90] On 10 February, he provided three assists, two for Agüero and one for Raheem Sterling, in a 5–1 win over Leicester City, taking his assists tally to 14.[91][92] On 25 February, he started in the 2018 EFL Cup Final against Arsenal, and played the whole 90 minutes, with Manchester City winning 3–0 to obtain their first piece of silverware of the 2017–18 season, and their first trophy overall under Pep Guardiola.[93]

On 31 March 2018, he provided an assist for Gabriel Jesus in a 3–1 win over Everton, ensuring that City would require only one more win to secure the Premier League title.[94][95] On 22 April, he scored in a 5–0 win over Swansea City.[96] On 13 May, on the final day of the season, De Bruyne assisted Gabriel Jesus' winning goal in a 1–0 win over Southampton, which took champions City's total points tally to 100. De Bruyne was also voted as BBC Man of the Match.[97][98] For his 16 assists registered across the league season, De Bruyne won the inaugural Premier League Playmaker of the Season award.[99] He was also selected in the PFA Team of the Year, and was also voted as Manchester City Player of the Season.[100][101][102]

2018–19 season

On 15 August 2018, De Bruyne suffered a knee injury during a training session, with several news websites reporting that he could potentially not play for up to three months.[103] Two days later, Manchester City confirmed that he had suffered a lesion of the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee, with no surgery required, and that he was expected to not play for three months.[104][105][106] Soon after De Bruyne returned to action in October 2018, he once again suffered a knee ligament injury in the fourth round of the EFL Cup against Fulham. The injury was expected to keep him out for 5–6 weeks[107] but he resumed full training much earlier than expected after only 3 weeks out.[108] He came on as substitute in the FA Cup final against Watford, scoring the third goal and assisting two more, as City won the first-ever domestic treble in English men's football.[109][110] His performances meant he was named Man of the Match.[110]

2019–20 season

On 30 November 2019, De Bruyne scored a half-volley in a 2–2 draw against Newcastle in the league, that strike was later voted as Premier League Goal of the Month for November.[111][112] On 15 December 2019, he scored a brace in a 3–0 Premier League win over Arsenal at the Emirates.[113]

De Bruyne scored his 50th City goal in all competitions on 26 February 2020 in their 2–1 victory, coming from behind, over Real Madrid in their Champions League Round of 16 clash.[114]

In the final Premier League match of the season, City beat Norwich City 5–0 at home. De Bruyne scored two goals and registered his 20th league assist, which equalled Thierry Henry's record for the most assists in a season, and also won his second Playmaker of the Season award.[115][116] In addition he became the first player in history to reach 20 assists in a single season in two of Europe's top five leagues.[117] His long range curler in that game also won him Premier League Goal of the Month for the second time in the season.[118]

At the end of the season he was awarded the Premier League Player of the Season after scoring 13 goals, providing 20 assists and creating 104 chances from open play, the most for a player in any of Europe's top five leagues since 2006.[119][120]

He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year and won the PFA Player of the Year award, becoming the first ever Manchester City player to win it.[121]

2020–21 season

 
De Bruyne on the ball for Manchester City in the Champions League against RB Leipzig in 2021

On 21 September 2020, De Bruyne scored and assisted in a 3–1 away win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in City's first game of the season.[122] With the crucial visit of the Premier League champions, Liverpool, De Bruyne assisted Gabriel Jesus' equalizer before winning a penalty, which he subsequently fired wide. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.[123] On 7 April, De Bruyne signed a four-year contract,[124] after negotiating it with help of statistical data to make case for a 30% pay increase.[125]

On 25 April 2021, De Bruyne's free-kick was headed into the goal by Aymeric Laporte, allowing City to win 1–0 against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.[126] On 28 April, he scored a goal in a 2–1 away win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals.[127] On 29 May, De Bruyne had a head injury after colliding with Antonio Rüdiger in the second half of the Champions League Final, to be substituted by Gabriel Jesus; however, his team lost 1–0 against his former club Chelsea.[128] Medical scans after the game revealed De Bruyne to have suffered acute nose bone and left orbital fractures, placing doubt on his participation in the rescheduled UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.[129]

At the end of the season, Kevin was awarded with the PFA Player's Player Of The Year award.[130]

2021–22 season

On 26 April 2022, De Bruyne scored the fastest Champions League semi-final goal after 93 seconds in a 4–3 win over Real Madrid in the first leg.[131] On 11 May, he scored four goals inside 24 minutes in City's 5–1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, his first hat-trick with the club and the third-quickest in Premier League history.[132][133] Sky Sports commentator Andy Hinchcliffe described the feat as "Twenty-three minutes of footballing genius" and Jeremy Wilson, writing in The Daily Telegraph, said "De Bruyne's 'wrong-footed' hat-trick was one of the best displays in Premier League history".[134]

De Bruyne was again bestowed with the Premier League Player of the Season award, becoming the fourth player to win the award more than once.[135][136] He also went on to win Manchester City's Player of the Year award for the fourth time. As a result, he tied Richard Dunne for the most player of the year awards at the club.[137] In addition, he ended the season as the club's top scorer in the Premier League with 15 goals, which was also his personal best record.[138]

2022–23 season

On 26 April 2023, De Bruyne scored a brace and provided an assist in a 4–1 win over Arsenal, which reduced their rival's lead at the league table to two points, with his team had two games in hand.[139] On 9 May, he scored the equalizer for his club in a 1–1 away draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals first leg,[140] in which he managed to score in the same round for the third consecutive year.[141]

On 10 June, he played only 36 minutes in his second Champions League final, as he suffered a hamstring injury and was replaced by Phil Foden.[142] However, Manchester City eventually won 1–0 against Inter Milan, which completed their continental treble.[143]

After the season, De Bruyne was nominated for UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award along with Lionel Messi and Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland.[144]

2023–24 season

De Bruyne started the 2023–24 season, on 6 August, coming on as a substitute in the 2023 FA Community Shield against Arsenal, missing a penalty as the Gunners won the shoot-out 4–1.[145] On 11 August, he suffered a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury in the opening league game of the season against Burnley, it was later confirmed he would be out for four to five months.[146] He made his return from injury on 7 January 2024, providing an assist in a 5–0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup third round.[147] On 13 January, he came off the bench, scoring his first goal of the season and assisting another in a 3–2 comeback away victory over Newcastle United.[148]

On 6 April, De Bruyne scored his 100th goal for Manchester City in a 4–2 win at Crystal Palace.[149] On April 17, he scored a goal in a 1–1 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg, leveling the aggregate score at 4–4; however, his club lost 4–3 in the penalty shootout.[150] On 19 May, he achieved his 6th Premier League title with the club on the final matchday of the season.[151]

International career

 
De Bruyne (right) lining up for Belgium in 2013, alongside Vincent Kompany and Simon Mignolet

De Bruyne represented Belgium at under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels. He made his senior team debut on 11 August 2010 in an international friendly match against Finland in Turku; the game ended in a 1–0 loss for Belgium.[152]

Before making his full debut for Belgium's senior side, De Bruyne was eligible to play for Burundi, his mother's birthplace.[153]

De Bruyne became a regular member of Belgium's team during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, where he scored four goals as the Red Devils qualified for their first major tournament in 12 years.[154]

2014–2016: First World Cup and Euro appearances

 
De Bruyne playing for Belgium against Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

On 13 May 2014, De Bruyne was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[155] In their first game of the tournament, against Algeria in Belo Horizonte, De Bruyne assisted Marouane Fellaini's equaliser[156] and was named man of the match by FIFA.[157] In the round of 16, De Bruyne scored Belgium's opening goal in the third minute of extra time as they defeated the United States 2–1.[158] They were subsequently eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup after losing 1–0 to Argentina in the quarter-finals.[159]

On 10 October 2014, De Bruyne scored twice in a 6–0 rout of Andorra in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, equaling the team's record victory in a European qualifier set in 1986.[160][161] On 3 September 2015, De Bruyne scored in a 3–1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.[162] On 10 October 2015, De Bruyne scored in a 4–1 victory against Andorra, which secured Belgium's place at the UEFA Euro 2016 finals.[163][164] Three days later, he scored in a 3–1 win over Israel, securing Belgium top-spot in the group.[165] On 31 May 2016, De Bruyne was selected for Belgium's final 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016.[166][unreliable source?] On 18 June 2016, De Bruyne was praised for his performance in Belgium's 3–0 win over the Republic of Ireland.[167] On 26 June 2016, De Bruyne was voted BBC Man of the Match for his performance in a 4–0 win over Hungary in the round of 16, where he provided two assists.[168]

2016–2018: 2018 World Cup

 
De Bruyne celebrating Belgium's 2-1 win over Brazil at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

De Bruyne was selected for Belgium's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[169] On 18 June, in the opening game against debutants Panama, De Bruyne provided an assist for Romelu Lukaku in an eventual 3–0 victory.[170][171] On 6 July, he scored the second goal of the match in a 2–1 quarter-final victory over Brazil and was named the man of the match.[172] In the semi-finals, Belgium were defeated 1–0 by eventual champions France.[173] On 14 July, Belgium defeated England 2–0 in the third-place play-off.[174]

2018–2022: Euro 2020 and 2022 World Cup

 
De Bruyne playing for Belgium against Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

On 17 June 2021, De Bruyne scored his first and the winning goal in Belgium's second match of UEFA Euro 2020, a 2–1 victory over Denmark,[175] having earlier in the game assisted the team's first goal.[176] During the round of 16 clash with Portugal, De Bruyne suffered an ankle injury from a tackle from behind, by Portugal's Joao Palhinha. On 2 July Belgium manager Roberto Martinez said that De Bruyne could recover in time for the quarter-final match, later that day, despite not training all week[177][178] and he was later confirmed in the starting line-up.[179]

De Bruyne started all three games in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Belgium were eliminated in the group stage.[180][181][182]

2022–present: Assuming the captaincy

On 21 March 2023, De Bruyne was announced as Belgium's new captain, following the international retirement of Eden Hazard.[183] A week later, he led Belgium to beat Germany in a friendly match for the first time since 1954, by scoring a goal and providing two assists in a 3–2 away win.[184] On 28 May 2024, he was selected in the Belgian squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.[185] A few days later, on 5 June, he earned his 100th international cap, in which he also scored a goal, in a 2–0 friendly victory over Montenegro prior to the tournament.[186]

Player profile

Style of play

A versatile and highly talented player in the media, he plays mainly as an attacking or a central midfielder but can also operate in several other positions and has been used as a winger or second striker. He has even been deployed in a deeper creative midfield position and on occasion, a box-to-box role or as a false 9. He is often described by pundits as one of the best and most complete modern day advanced playmakers due to his technique, skill, athleticism, work-rate off the ball, vision, crossing accuracy, wide range of passing, and powerful long-range shooting ability with either foot.[187][188][189][190][191][192][193][194]

Although he is not blessed with significant physical strength, pace, or ability in the air,[195] he is a quick and elegant player on the ball with good dribbling skills, while his positional sense, tactical intelligence, movement, direct style of play and ability to run at defences when in possession also enable him to take advantage of spaces in the opposition's defence and subsequently create chances and goalscoring opportunities for himself or his team-mates, making him a dangerous offensive threat on counter-attacks.[195][196][197][198] In addition to his creative abilities,[195] he is also capable of scoring goals by making late runs off the ball from behind into the penalty area[199] and is an accurate set-piece taker.[195][200]

Reception

De Bruyne is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world,[201][202][203][204][205] and he has often been described as a "complete" footballer.[206][207][208]

De Bruyne was ranked the fourth-best footballer in the world by The Guardian in 2017[209] and the twelfth-best in 2019.[210] In 2020, his Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described him as the best midfielder in the world.[211] As City chased The Treble in the 2022–23 season with De Bruyne playing a leading role, Jamie Redknapp said that De Bruyne was the best Premier League midfielder he had seen, ranking him above the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.[212]

Personal life

 
De Bruyne in 2012

Family and relationships

De Bruyne's mother is Belgian.[213] She was born in Burundi and has also lived in the Ivory Coast.[214] She grew up in London, after her Flemish parents moved to England for work reasons. Only when she met Kevin's father, Herwig, did she return to Belgium.[213]

De Bruyne's parents settled in Drongen, a sub-municipality of the city of Ghent, in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.[215][216] Aside from Dutch, his mother tongue, De Bruyne also speaks English, French and German.[217][218]

As a child, De Bruyne and his parents regularly visited his grandparents in London. At the time of his move to Chelsea in 2012, De Bruyne stated: "We used to go every year at Christmas and during school holidays. It's my second home."[219]

De Bruyne has been in a relationship with Michèle Lacroix since 2014.[220] The couple married in June 2017[221] and have three children together.[222]

De Bruyne's autobiography, titled Keep It Simple, was published by Borgerhoff & Lamberigts in October 2014,[223] following an incident between De Bruyne and his compatriot, footballer Thibaut Courtois, in which De Bruyne's then-girlfriend left him for Courtois. De Bruyne wrote in his autobiography, "Although I still cannot believe what Courtois has done, we continue to work together professionally."[224]

Philanthropy

De Bruyne was an ambassador for the 2014 Special Olympics, which took place in Antwerp, and was involved in a controversial advertisement campaign via his personal Instagram account. Employing the slogan (in Dutch): "Would you still be my fan if I looked like this?", De Bruyne was depicted resembling a person with Down's syndrome.[225]

Since 2016 the Kevin De Bruyne Cup, an international youth football tournament, has been organized in Drongen, Belgium.[226]

De Bruyne was chosen by UEFA as ambassador for 2018. He presented a check worth 100,000 euros to the International Committee of the Red Cross.[227]

In 2019, De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku handed out shoes to needy children in regional hospitals for a special campaign 'Kicks for Kids' organized by Roc Nation Sports.[228]

De Bruyne has also been involved in other charitable initiatives, including the "Common Goal" campaign, which encourages professional footballers to donate 1% of their wages to support various global social causes. In addition, he has donated money to support cancer research and has been involved in charity matches to raise money for various causes.[229]

In 2023, De Bruyne and his wife were named as ‘godparents’ of the Ronald McDonald Children’s Fund, which ensures that parents with hospitalized children will be able to stay nearby.[230]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 26 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Genk 2008–09[231] Belgian First Division 2 0 0 0 — — — 2 0
2009–10[231] Belgian Pro League 35 3 2 0 — 2[c] 0 1[d] 0 40 3
2010–11[231] Belgian Pro League 32 5 0 0 — 3[c] 1 0 0 35 6
2011–12[231] Belgian Pro League 28 8 1 0 — 6[e] 0 1[d] 0 36 8
Total 97 16 3 0 — 11 1 2 0 113 17
Chelsea 2012–13[231] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2013–14[231] Premier League 3 0 0 0 3 0 3[e] 0 — 9 0
Total 3 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 9 0
Werder Bremen (loan) 2012–13[232] Bundesliga 33 10 1 0 — — — 34 10
VfL Wolfsburg 2013–14[233] Bundesliga 16 3 2 0 — — — 18 3
2014–15[234] Bundesliga 34 10 6 1 — 11[c] 5 — 51 16
2015–16[235] Bundesliga 2 0 1 1 — — 1[f] 0 4 1
Total 52 13 9 2 — 11 5 1 0 73 20
Manchester City 2015–16[235] Premier League 25 7 1 1 5 5 10[e] 3 — 41 16
2016–17[236] Premier League 36 6 5 0 1 0 7[e] 1 — 49 7
2017–18[237] Premier League 37 8 3 1 4 2 8[e] 1 — 52 12
2018–19[238] Premier League 19 2 4 2 5 2 4[e] 0 0 0 32 6
2019–20[239] Premier League 35 13 2 1 3 0 7[e] 2 1[g] 0 48 16
2020–21[240] Premier League 25 6 3 1 4 0 8[e] 3 — 40 10
2021–22[241] Premier League 30 15 3 1 2 1 10[e] 2 0 0 44 19
2022–23[242] Premier League 32 7 4 1 2 0 10[e] 2 1[g] 0 49 10
2023–24[243] Premier League 18 4 5 0 0 0 2[e] 2 1[g] 0 26 6
2024–25[244] Premier League 11 2 0 0 0 0 4[e] 0 1[g] 0 16 2
Total 268 70 30 8 26 10 70 16 4 0 398 104
Career total 453 109 43 10 29 10 95 22 7 0 627 151
  1. ^ Includes Belgian Cup, DFB-Pokal, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes Football League Cup/EFL Cup
  3. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ a b Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. ^ Appearance in DFL-Supercup
  7. ^ a b c d Appearance in FA Community Shield

International

As of match played 9 September 2024[10]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Belgium[N2] 2010 1 0
2011 1 0
2012 6 1
2013 11 3
2014 11 4
2015 8 4
2016 12 1
2017 8 0
2018 10 2
2019 6 4
2020 4 1
2021 10 3
2022 9 2
2023 2 1
2024 8 4
Total 107 30
As of match played 9 September 2024
Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each De Bruyne goal[10][245]
List of international goals scored by Kevin De Bruyne
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 12 October 2012 Stadium Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia 6   Serbia 2–0 3–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 22 March 2013 Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia 10   Macedonia 1–0 2–0
3 7 June 2013 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 13   Serbia 1–0 2–1
4 15 October 2013 17   Wales 1–0 1–1
5 26 May 2014 Cristal Arena, Genk, Belgium 21   Luxembourg 5–1 5–1 Friendly
6 1 July 2014 Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil 25   United States 1–0 2–1 2014 FIFA World Cup
7 10 October 2014 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 28   Andorra 1–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
8 2–0
9 3 September 2015 34   Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 3–1
10 10 October 2015 Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra 36   Andorra 2–0 4–1
11 13 October 2015 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 37   Israel 2–0 3–1
12 13 November 2015 38   Italy 2–1 3–1 Friendly
13 28 May 2016 Stade de Genève, Lancy, Switzerland 39    Switzerland 2–1 2–1
14 27 March 2018 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 59   Saudi Arabia 4–0 4–0
15 6 July 2018 Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia 66   Brazil 2–0 2–1 2018 FIFA World Cup
16 11 June 2019 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 70   Scotland 3–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
17 9 September 2019 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland 72   Scotland 4–0 4–0
18 19 November 2019 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 74   Cyprus 2–1 6–1
19 3–1
20 18 November 2020 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium 78   Denmark 4–2 4–2 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
21 24 March 2021 79   Wales 1–1 3–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
22 17 June 2021 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 81   Denmark 2–1 2–1 UEFA Euro 2020
23 16 November 2021 Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales 88   Wales 1–0 1–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
24 8 June 2022 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 90   Poland 2–1 6–1 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
25 22 September 2022 92   Wales 1–0 2–1
26 28 March 2023 RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany 99   Germany 3–1 3–2 Friendly
27 5 June 2024 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 100   Montenegro 1–0 2–0
28 22 June 2024 RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany 103   Romania 2–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2024
29 6 September 2024 Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen, Hungary 106   Israel 1–0 3–1 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
30 3–1

Honours

Genk

VfL Wolfsburg

Manchester City

Belgium

Individual

Notes

  1. ^
    While several sources indicate that De Bruyne recorded 21 assists during the season, this number has been disputed and in 2020, the official Bundesliga website credited him with 19 assists.[322]
  2. ^
    De Bruyne caps against Romania on 14 November 2012, against Luxembourg (included his one goal) on 26 May 2014 and against Czech Republic on 5 June 2017 were counted by RBFA but not officially recognised by FIFA due to an excessive number of substitutions according to the Laws of the Game.[323][324][325][326]

References

  1. ^ "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  2. ^ "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of players: Belgium" (PDF). FIFA. 15 July 2018. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne: Profile". WorldFootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Archived from the original on 25 August 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d "Kevin De Bruyne: Overview". Premier League. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Ballon d'Or 2022 as it happened – Karim Benzema wins Ballon d'Or, Sadio Mane second". Eurosport. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  6. ^ a b "'Kevin De Bruyne is off to Man City' says Wolfsburg director Klaus Allofs". ESPN. 28 August 2015. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Result of 2023 Ballon d'Or Top 10 voting points: Messi 462 pts, Haaland 357 pts". allfootballapp.com. 4 November 2023.
  8. ^ De Bruyne: Liverpool, Michael Owen fan Archived 11 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine YouTube
  9. ^ "Charleroi 3–0 Genk". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  10. ^ a b c "Kevin De Bruyne". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Genk 1–0 Standard Liege". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Genk clinch third Belgian title with Liege draw". Reuters. 17 May 2011. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne (3) stars as Genk win 5–4 at Club Brugge". Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  14. ^ Bailey, Graeme (31 January 2012). "Genk confirm De Bruyne sale". Sky Sport. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  15. ^ "Kevin becomes a blue". Chelsea F.C. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Chelsea sign Kevin De Bruyne from Genk". BBC Sport. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 31 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  17. ^ "Chelsea's Kevin De Bruyne joins Werder Bremen on season-long loan". The Guardian. 31 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Hannover 96 3–2 Werder Bremen". ESPN FC. 15 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  19. ^ "Huszti is hero and villain". Sky Sports. 15 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  20. ^ "Werder Bremen 2–2 VfB Stuttgart". ESPN FC. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  21. ^ "Honours even at Weser Stadion". Sky Sports. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  22. ^ "Werder Bremen 2–1 Fortuna Düsseldorf". ESPN FC. 18 November 2012. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  23. ^ "Winning start for Schaaf". Sky Sports. 19 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  24. ^ "Werder Bremen 2–2 TSG Hoffenheim". ESPNFC. 4 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  25. ^ "Hoffenheim fight back to draw". Sky Sports. 4 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  26. ^ "Werder Bremen 1–1 Eintracht Frankfurt". ESPNFC. 11 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  27. ^ "Eagles secure a point". Sky Sports. 11 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  28. ^ "De Bruyne to fight for Chelsea place". ESPNFC. 21 June 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  29. ^ Conway, Richard (22 July 2013). "Chelsea: Kevin De Bruyne set for scan on knee injury". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  30. ^ Taylor, Daniel (18 August 2013). "José Mourinho enjoys stylish return as Chelsea cruise against Hull". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  31. ^ "Chelsea sell Kevin De Bruyne to Wolfsburg". The Guardian. 18 January 2014. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  32. ^ "Team News: Kevin de Bruyne straight in for Wolfsburg". Sports Mole. 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  33. ^ "Wolfsburg-Nurnberg Live". Whoscored.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  34. ^ "De Bruyne: 'We want nine points' | VfL Wolfsburg | Matchday 31 | Reaction – Bundesliga – official website". Bundesliga. 20 April 2014. Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  35. ^ "Wolfsburg rally to peg back LOSC". UEFA. 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  36. ^ "De Bruyne Double Fires Wolfsburg to First European Win". Bundesliga. 23 October 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  37. ^ Begley, Emlyn (30 January 2015). "VfL Wolfsburg 4–1 Bayern Munich". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  38. ^ "Werder Bremen 3–5 VfL Wolfsburg". ESPN (UK). 1 March 2015. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  39. ^ "De Bruyne-powered Wolfsburg snap back at Inter". UEFA. 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 November 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  40. ^ "VfL Wolfsburg 3–0 Sport-Club Freiburg". BBC Sport. 15 March 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  41. ^ "De Bruyne entre dans l'histoire de la Bundesliga". RTBF Sport (in French). 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  42. ^ "Borussia Dortmd 1–3 VfL Wolfsburg". BBC Sport. 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  43. ^ a b "De Bruyne is Speler van het Jaar volgens Duitse Journalisten". Sporza (in Dutch). 26 July 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  44. ^ Dunbar, Ross (1 August 2015). "Bendtner leads Wolfsburg over Bayern Munich on penalties in German Super Cup clash". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  45. ^ "De Bruynes artwork rewarded wide awake Wolves". Kicker. 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 23 May 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  46. ^ "Manchester City transfer news: Kevin De Bruyne: I will not force Wolfsburg to sell me". Goal.com. 3 August 2015. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  47. ^ Jackson, Jamie (10 August 2015). "Manchester City make second bid of £47m for Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  48. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Man City offer 'astonishing' wages". BBC Sport. 27 August 2015. Archived from the original on 30 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  49. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne signs for Manchester City". Manchester City FC. 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 31 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  50. ^ "Man City sign midfielder De Bruyne". BBC Sport. 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 2 September 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  51. ^ "Premier League leaders Manchester City continued their 100% start to the season with an injury-time winner over Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 12 September 2015. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  52. ^ Bull, JJ (20 September 2015). "Manchester City vs West Ham United: as it happened". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  53. ^ "Sunderland 1–4 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 20 January 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  54. ^ "Recap: Spurs hit four after De Bruyne puts Blues ahead". Manchester Evening News. 26 September 2015. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  55. ^ Bevan, Chris (3 October 2015). "Manchester City 6–1 Newcastle United". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  56. ^ "Ballon d'Or shortlist: Eight Manchester-based players in running for award". Manchester Evening News. 2 October 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  57. ^ "Ballon d'Or: Ronaldo & Messi joined by Aguero & Toure on list". BBC Sport. 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  58. ^ Taylor, Daniel. "Kevin De Bruyne's late strike earns Manchester City victory over Sevilla". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  59. ^ Taylor, Daniel. "Kevin De Bruyne hits double as Manchester City send Hull packing". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  60. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Man City midfielder set for 10 weeks out". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  61. ^ "Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne inspires thrashing of Bournemouth". The Guardian. 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  62. ^ "PSG 2 Man City 2: Fernandinho and Kevin de Bruyne give City cause to dream in Champions League". The Daily Telegraph. 6 April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  63. ^ Ogden, Mark (12 April 2016). "Manchester City vs PSG match report: Kevin De Bruyne stars as slick City charge to semi-final". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  64. ^ "Manchester City 2–2 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 8 May 2016. Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  65. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne just behind Lionel Messi, says Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  66. ^ "Manchester United 1–2 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 10 September 2016. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  67. ^ "Manchester City v Bournemouth Premier League match report". Manchester City. 17 September 2017. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  68. ^ "Manchester City 1–1 Everton". BBC Sport. 15 October 2016. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  69. ^ Wallace, Sam; Bull, J. J. (1 November 2016). "Manchester City 3 Barcelona 1: Pep Guardiola masterminds City comeback as Gundogan grabs double". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  70. ^ McNulty, Phil (12 January 2017). "Manchester City 2–2 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  71. ^ "Manchester City 1–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. 19 March 2017. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  72. ^ Yew, Oliver (9 September 2017). "Manchester City 5–0 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's side suffer after Sadio Mane's red card". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 17 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  73. ^ "Watford v Man City, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  74. ^ "Manchester City 2–0 Shakhtar Donetsk". BBC Sport. 26 September 2017. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  75. ^ McNulty, Phil (30 September 2017). "Chelsea 0–1 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  76. ^ "Man City v Stoke, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  77. ^ "Man City v Arsenal, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  78. ^ "Leicester v Man City, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  79. ^ "Man City v Southampton, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  80. ^ "Swansea v Man City, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  81. ^ "Swansea City 0–4 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  82. ^ "Man City v Spurs, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  83. ^ "Manchester City 4–1 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  84. ^ "Newcastle v Man City, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  85. ^ "Manchester City 2–1 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  86. ^ "Man City v Newcastle, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  87. ^ "Manchester City 3–1 Newcastle United". BBC Sport. 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  88. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne Pens New Five-Year Contract". mancity.co.uk. Manchester City. 22 January 2018. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  89. ^ a b c "Bristol City 2–3 Manchester City (Agg: 3–5)". BBC Sport. 2018. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  90. ^ "Manchester City 3–0 West Bromwich Albion". BBC Sport. 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  91. ^ "Man City v Leicester, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  92. ^ "Manchester City 5–1 Leicester City". BBC Sport. 10 February 2018. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  93. ^ "Arsenal 0–3 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 25 February 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  94. ^ "Everton v Man City, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  95. ^ "Everton 1–3 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 31 March 2018. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  96. ^ "Man City v Swansea, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  97. ^ "Southampton v Man City, 2017/18 | Premier League". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  98. ^ "Southampton 0–1 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 13 May 2018. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  99. ^ "De Bruyne edges Playmaker award". Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  100. ^ "Manchester City players dominate PFA team of the year". BBC Sport. 18 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  101. ^ "Etihad Player of the Season | Kevin De Bruyne". mancity.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  102. ^ ThePFA.com. "The PFA Premier League Team of the Year". thepfa.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  103. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Man City midfielder suffers knee injury in training". BBC Sport. 15 August 2018. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  104. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne injury update". mancity.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  105. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Manchester City midfielder out for three months". BBC Sport. 17 August 2018. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  106. ^ "Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne out for three months with knee injury". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  107. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne suffers ligament damage". mancity.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  108. ^ Jackson, Jamie (12 November 2018). "Kevin De Bruyne set to be back for Manchester City earlier than expected". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  109. ^ Wembley, Daniel Taylor at (18 May 2019). "Manchester City win FA Cup to seal treble with 6–0 demolition of Watford". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  110. ^ a b "Man City 6–0 Watford: Raheem Sterling scores FA Cup final hat-trick". 18 May 2019. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  111. ^ "Shelvey stunner holds Man City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  112. ^ Edwards, John. "De Bruyne strike scoops Goal of the Month". mancity.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  113. ^ "Manchester City pushed Arsenal deeper into crisis as they won with embarrassing ease at Emirates Stadium". BBC. 15 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  114. ^ "Manchester City fight back to beat Real Madrid at Bernabeu". BT Sport. 26 February 2020. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  115. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Twentieth assist of season equals Thierry Henry's record". BBC Sport. 26 July 2020. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  116. ^ "Man City's De Bruyne equals Premier League assist record for single season". ESPN. 26 July 2020. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  117. ^ "'You took two away from me!' – De Bruyne happy to share Premier League assists record with Henry". Goal. 26 July 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  118. ^ "De Bruyne completes double with Budweiser Goal of the Month". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  119. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Manchester City midfielder named Premier League player of season". BBC Sport. 16 August 2020. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  120. ^ @OptaJoe (16 August 2020). "104 – Kevin De Bruyne created 104 chances in open play in the Premier League in 2019–20, the most for a player in any of Europe's top five leagues since this data is available for each competition (2006-07+). Worthy" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  121. ^ a b "Man City midfielder De Bruyne beats Liverpool stars to PFA Player of the Year award | Goal.com". goal.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  122. ^ "Man City hold off Wolves fightback to claim victory". premierleague.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  123. ^ "De Bruyne misses penalty in draw". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  124. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne: Man City midfielder signs new deal that runs until 2025". BBC Sport. 7 April 2021. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  125. ^ Glendenning, Barry (24 May 2021). "Premier League 2020–21 review: players of the season". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021.
  126. ^ "Manchester City 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. 25 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  127. ^ "Paris Saint Germain 1–2 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  128. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne suffers head injury in Champions League final". The Athletic. 29 May 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  129. ^ Prince-Wright, Joe (30 May 2021). "Kevin de Bruyne injury update". NBC Sports. NBC. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  130. ^ "De Bruyne wins second PFA men's award". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  131. ^ "Watch: De Bruyne scores fastest-ever Champions League semi-final goal as Man City get off to perfect start against Real Madrid". Goal.com. 26 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  132. ^ "Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–5 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 11 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  133. ^ "De Bruyne copies Haaland's meditation celebration as four-goal Man City hero appears to welcome summer signing". Goal.com. 11 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  134. ^ Jeremy Wilson (12 May 2022). "Why Kevin De Bruyne's 'wrong-footed' hat-trick was one of the best displays in Premier League history". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  135. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne: Man City playmaker pips Mohamed Salah to win Premier League Player of the Year award". skysports.com. Sky Sports. 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  136. ^ "De Bruyne voted EA SPORTS Player of the Season". premierleague.com. Premier League. 22 May 2022. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  137. ^ Clayton, David (22 May 2022). "DE BRUYNE VOTED MANCHESTER CITY'S ETIHAD PLAYER OF THE SEASON". mancity.com. Manchester City F.C.
  138. ^ "How De Bruyne turned from provider to goalscorer to lead Manchester City to the Premier League title". The Athletic. 26 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  139. ^ "How Manchester City dominated Arsenal 4-1 in crucial Premier League title race showdown". The Athletic. 26 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  140. ^ "WATCH: Man City star Kevin De Bruyne hammers Champions League semi-final first leg equaliser against Real Madrid". Goal.com. 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  141. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne Hyped by Man City Fans for Clutch Play After UCL Draw vs. Real Madrid". Bleacher Report. 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  142. ^ Dawson, Rob (10 June 2023). "Man City's Kevin De Bruyne forced off with injury in 1st half of Champions League final". ESPN. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  143. ^ "A treble! Manchester City win Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League". Sky News. 11 June 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  144. ^ UEFA.com (17 August 2023). "2022/23 UEFA Men's Player of the Year award nominees announced: Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi | UEFA Champions League". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  145. ^ Smyth, Rob (6 August 2023). "Arsenal 1–1 Man City (4–1 on pens): as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  146. ^ Critchley, Mark (15 August 2023). "Kevin De Bruyne injury 'serious', Manchester City midfielder out for 'few months'". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  147. ^ Rose, Gary (7 January 2024). "Kevin de Bruyne: Man City boss Pep Guardiola says 'the people love him' as midfielder returns". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  148. ^ "Newcastle United 2–3 Manchester City". BBC Sport. 13 January 2024. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  149. ^ "Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City: Kevin de Bruyne shines as defending champions maintain title challenge". BBC Sport. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  150. ^ "Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid (agg 4-4, 3-4 on pens): Spaniards through after shootout". BBC Sport. 17 April 2024.
  151. ^ "'One of the most special' titles for De Bruyne". BBC Sport. 19 May 2024.
  152. ^ "13 fun facts about Kevin De Bruyne". Goal. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  153. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne interview: I'll fight for chance at Chelsea..." The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  154. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne". FIFA. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  155. ^ "Adnan Januzaj included in Belgium's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  156. ^ Chowdhury, Saj (17 June 2014). "Belgium 2–1 Algeria". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  157. ^ "Belgium 2–1 Algeria". FIFA. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  158. ^ "Belgium 2–1 USA". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  159. ^ "Argentina 1 Belgium 0". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 July 2014. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  160. ^ Brookman, Derek (10 October 2014). "Belgium equal record tally against Andorra". UEFA. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  161. ^ "UEFA EURO 2016 | History | Belgium–Andorra". UEFA. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  162. ^ "UEFA EURO 2016 | History | Belgium-Bosnia and Herzegovina". UEFA. 3 September 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  163. ^ "Andorra 1–4 Belgium". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 October 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  164. ^ "UEFA EURO 2016 | History | Andorra vs. Belgium". UEFA. 10 October 2015. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  165. ^ "UEFA EURO 2016 | History | Belgium vs. Israel". UEFA. 13 October 2015. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  166. ^ "Belgian Red Devils on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  167. ^ "Player ratings: Belgium 3–0 Republic of Ireland | De Bruyne conducts dominant win for Red Devils". Squawka Football News. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  168. ^ "Hungary 0–4 Belgium". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 June 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  169. ^ "Belgium's 2018 World Cup squad: Who joins Hazard & Lukaku in the 23-man squad?". Goal. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  170. ^ "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia | Matches | Belgium vs. Panama". FIFA. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  171. ^ "World Cup 2018: Belgium beat debutants Panama 3–0 in Sochi". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  172. ^ "Brazil knocked out of World Cup by Kevin De Bruyne and brilliant Belgium". The Guardian. 6 July 2018. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  173. ^ Hafez, Shamoon (10 June 2018). "France 1–0 Belgium". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  174. ^ "World Cup 2018: England finish fourth after Belgium defeat". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  175. ^ Marsh, Charlotte (17 June 2021). "Denmark 1–2 Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne inspires Red Devils to victory as they reach Euro 2020 last 16". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  176. ^ Glendenning, Barry (17 June 2021). "Denmark 1–2 Belgium: Euro 2020". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  177. ^ Braw, Joe (2 July 2021). "Belgium give fitness update on Man City star Kevin de Bruyne for Italy Euro 2020 clash". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  178. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard last-minute decisions for Belgium's Euro 2020 quarter-final against Italy, says Roberto Martinez". Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  179. ^ "Belgium vs Italy Live: Euro 2020 team news, line-ups and more today | The Independent". www.independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021.
  180. ^ "Belgium 1–0 Canada". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 November 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  181. ^ "Belgium 0–2 Morocco". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 November 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  182. ^ "Croatia 0–0 Belgium". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 December 2022. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  183. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne is the new captain of the Belgian Red Devils". Royal Belgian Football Association. 21 March 2023. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  184. ^ "Belgium triumph in Germany for the first time since 1954". The Brussels Times. 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  185. ^ "25 Devils go to EURO 2024". Royal Belgian Football Association. 28 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  186. ^ Mukherjee, Soham (5 June 2024). "What a way to mark 100 caps! Kevin De Bruyne scores on landmark game as Belgium cruise past Montenegro in Euro 2024 warm-up friendly". Goal.
  187. ^ Anwar, Daniel (11 June 2015). "Do Manchester City need Kevin De Bruyne this summer?". Squawka. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  188. ^ Ogden, Mark; Whalley, Mike (30 August 2015). "Kevin De Bruyne completes £54m Man City transfer". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  189. ^ Clarke, Adrian (11 May 2018). "De Bruyne the drive behind Man City success". Premier League. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  190. ^ Delaney, Miguel (30 September 2017). "Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte laud Kevin De Bruyne for being the perfect 'complete' player after masterclass". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  191. ^ "De Bruyne's versatility a key for Belgium". TSN. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  192. ^ Cox, Michael (23 August 2016). "Disappointing lack of deep-lying playmakers in the Premier League". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  193. ^ Williams, Josh (18 October 2019). "The attacking dynamic that Kevin De Bruyne will restore for Pep Guardiola". The Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  194. ^ Jolly, Richard (5 March 2021). "Manchester City: How the false nine became Pep Guardiola's Plan A". fourfourtwo.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  195. ^ a b c d Gambino, Simone (16 November 2011). "Generazione di Fenomeni – Kevin De Bruyne, il gioiello del Genk che il Chelsea sta corteggiando da anni..." Goal.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  196. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne performance leaves Pep Guardiola speechless". Eurosport. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  197. ^ Bull, JJ (22 September 2016). "Kevin De Bruyne 'is one of best players I've worked with' says Pep Guardiola – but what makes him so special?". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  198. ^ Byrd, Ammiraglio (4 October 2016). "Dopo Messi e Cr7 a chi il pallone d'Oro?" (in Italian). Calciomercato. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  199. ^ "Pogba, De Bruyne e i migliori centrocampisti di UEFA EURO 2016". Goal.com (in Italian). 8 June 2016. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  200. ^ "Goals, assists, set-pieces – The stats that show De Bruyne is almost irreplaceable for City". Yahoo. 15 August 2018. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  201. ^ Brown, Luke (9 November 2017). "Kevin de Bruyne can become as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, says Roberto Martinez". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  202. ^ Siregar, Cady (16 October 2017). "Pep Guardiola calls Kevin De Bruyne "the best player in Europe bar one"". Squawka. Archived from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  203. ^ Holyman, Ian (10 November 2017). "Kevin De Bruyne best player in Premier League at the moment – Eden Hazard". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  204. ^ "Hughes praises 'best player' in league De Bruyne". BBC Sport. 14 October 2017. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  205. ^ McGee, Nicholas (15 January 2018). "Bayern Munich boss Heynckes: "I would give De Bruyne the shirt off my back"". goal.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  206. ^ Delaney, Miguel (30 September 2017). "Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte laud Kevin De Bruyne for being the perfect 'complete' player after masterclass". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  207. ^ Pitt-Brooke, Jack (30 September 2017). "Where would Manchester City be without Kevin De Bruyne, the most complete player in the Premier League?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  208. ^ "FourFourTwo's 100 Best Football Players in the World 2017: No.5, Kevin De Bruyne". Talksport. 15 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2019. The world's most complete midfielder is dropping jaws with his defence-splitting brilliance – and setting himself on the path to superstardom
  209. ^ "The 100 best footballers in the world 2017". The Guardian. 19 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  210. ^ "The 100 best male footballers in the world 2019". The Guardian. 20 December 2019. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  211. ^ "Pep Guardiola hails Kevin De Bruyne as best midfielder in the world". Sky Sports. 10 September 2020. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  212. ^ Redknapp, Jamie (29 April 2023). "Kevin De Bruyne is world's best midfielder and Man City have treble in their own hands, says Jamie Redknapp". Sky Sports. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023.
  213. ^ a b Terreur, Kristof (20 October 2017). "Kevin De Bruyne: the stubborn boy who developed into a world beater". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  214. ^ "Bremens Belgier ist im Sommer weg: De Bruyne: 'Es gibt keine Chance für Werder!'" [Bremen's Belgian going to leave in summer: De Bruyne: "There is no chance for Werder!"]. Bild (in German). 20 September 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  215. ^ "Pep Guardiola to make surprise visit to Belgium on June 2nd – report – City Watch". Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  216. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne: een jongen uit Drongen". Staantribune (in Dutch). 29 September 2017. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  217. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne". premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org. 7 May 2017. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  218. ^ "Kevin de Bruyne im DAZN Interview vor Schalke vs Manchester City". DAZN_DE on Youtube. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  219. ^ "De Bruyne komt beetje thuis in Londen" [De Bruyne comes home to London a bit]. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  220. ^ Newman, Benjamin (3 January 2014). "Michèle Lacroix, new blonde girlfriend of Chelsea's De Bruyne, has posted pictures of the couple on Facebook". 101 Great Goals. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  221. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne Celebrates His Wife Michèle". futballnews.com. 27 June 2020. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  222. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne and his wife Michele Lacroix introduce their newborn baby Suri". futballnews.com. 6 September 2020. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  223. ^ Northcroft, Jonathan (25 October 2015). "City Whizzkid". The Sunday Times.
  224. ^ "'In one night, Thibaut gave me what I missed with Kevin for years'. Truth behind 'hatred' between De Bruyne and Courtois". Tribuna.com. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  225. ^ "De Bruyne offers support to Special Olympics". UEFA. 30 September 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  226. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne Cup | International youth tournament U-15". kdbcup.be. 20 May 2024.
  227. ^ "De Bruyne schenkt 100.000 euro van UEFA aan het goede doel". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 8 March 2018.
  228. ^ "Het hart op de juiste plaats: De Bruyne en Lukaku maken kinderen in nood blij met opvallende kerstactie". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 23 December 2019.
  229. ^ "13 fun facts about Kevin De Bruyne". goal.com. 23 June 2024.
  230. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne lands McDonald's endorsement deal". sportspromedia.com. 20 March 2023.
  231. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "K. De Bruyne: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  232. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  233. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  234. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  235. ^ a b "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  236. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  237. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  238. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  239. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  240. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  241. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  242. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  243. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  244. ^ "Games played by Kevin De Bruyne in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  245. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne". EU-Football.info. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  246. ^ "VfL Wolfsburg – Bayern München 5:4, Supercup, Saison 2015, 1.Spieltag – Spielbericht". Kicker (in German). Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  247. ^ McNulty, Phil (18 May 2019). "Manchester City 6–0 Watford". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  248. ^ McNulty, Phil (3 June 2023). "Manchester City 2–1 Manchester United". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  249. ^ "Manchester City 1–2 Manchester United: Line-ups". BBC Sport. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  250. ^ Booth, Mark (29 February 2016). "Talking Points: How City Won The Capital One Cup". Manchester City F.C. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Although he was unable to take any part in the final, Kevin De Bruyne deserved his first medal as a City player as much as anyone.
    Smith, Jonathan (26 February 2018). "Kevin De Bruyne: Man City's Carabao Cup final win can be a springboard". ESPN. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018. It was De Bruyne's second League Cup winners' medal at City, however he missed the 2016 final against Liverpool through injury.
  251. ^ McNulty, Phil (25 February 2018). "Arsenal 0–3 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 21 May 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  252. ^ McNulty, Phil (24 February 2019). "Chelsea 0–0 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  253. ^ McNulty, Phil (1 March 2020). "Aston Villa 1–2 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  254. ^ McNulty, Phil (25 April 2021). "Manchester City 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  255. ^ Begley, Emlyn (4 August 2019). "Liverpool 1–1 Manchester City". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  256. ^ "Manchester City 1–1 Manchester United: Line-ups". BBC Sport. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  257. ^ McNulty, Phil (10 June 2023). "Manchester City 1–0 Inter Milan". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  258. ^ McNulty, Phil (29 May 2021). "Manchester City 0–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  259. ^ McNulty, Phil (14 July 2018). "Belgium 2–0 England". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  260. ^ Anderson, Cammy (21 April 2014). "Analysing Kevin De Bruyne". Vavel. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  261. ^ "De Bruyne voted by players as the best in Bundesliga last season". FOX Sports. 16 June 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  262. ^ "2014/15 Team of the Season". Bundesliga. 11 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  263. ^ "UEFA Europa League squad of the season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 3 June 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  264. ^ "Tor des Monats Oktober 2014: De Bruynes Volley-Hammer aus 22 Metern". sportschau.de. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  265. ^ "Messi, Neymar Jr, Iniesta and Alves in France Football world XI of 2015". FC Barcelona. 30 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  266. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne is Sportsman of the Year". Deredactie. 20 December 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  267. ^ "Gouden Schoen 2015 – Kevin De Bruyne beste Belg in het Buitenland" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  268. ^ "Gouden Schoen 2016 – Kevin De Bruyne is voor het tweede jaar op rij de beste Belg in het buitenland" (in Dutch). 8 February 2017. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  269. ^ "69th Golden Shoe goes to Mignolet and Evrard". 26 January 2023.
  270. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne succeeds himself as Best Belgian Abroad: "Proud to have a Golden Shoe now"". Sporza (in Dutch). 18 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  271. ^ "De Bruyne wins Etihad Player of the Season award". Manchester City. 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  272. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne has been named City's Etihad Player of the Season". Manchester City. 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  273. ^ "De Bruyne wins Etihad Player of the Season award!". Manchester City. 6 August 2020. Archived from the original on 16 August 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  274. ^ "DE Bruyne Named Premier League Player of the Season". Manchester City. 21 May 2022. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  275. ^ "De Bruyne's Newcastle stunner wins Nissan GOTS!". Manchester City. 6 August 2020. Archived from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  276. ^ "Lucy Bronze and Robert Lewandowski are The Best of 2020". FIFA. 17 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  277. ^ "The FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11 of 2019–2020 – FIFPRO World Players' Union". FIFPRO. 17 December 2020. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  278. ^ "2020–2021 Men's FIFA FIFPRO World 11 revealed". fifpro.org. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  279. ^ "Messi makes World 11 history as Benzema earns maiden inclusion". FIFA. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 27 February 2023. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  280. ^ "Messi extends record as City stars dominate Men's World 11". FIFA. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  281. ^ "Who is in the 2024 FIFPRO Men's World 11?". fifpro.org. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  282. ^ "The IFFHS Men World Team 2017". IFFHS. International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 12 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  283. ^ "IFFHS AWARDS 2019 – THE IFFHS MEN WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR 2019". IFFHS. 30 November 2019. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  284. ^ a b "IFFHS WORLD AWARDS 2020 – THE WINNERS". IFFHS. 4 December 2020. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  285. ^ "IFFHS MEN'S WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR 2021". IFFHS. 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  286. ^ "IFFHS MEN'S WORLD TEAM 2022". IFFHS. International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 11 January 2023. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  287. ^ "IFFHS MEN'S WORLD TEAM 2023". IFFHS. 4 January 2024. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  288. ^ "Facts and figures: UEFA.com Team of the Year 2017". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  289. ^ "UEFA.com fans' Team of the Year 2019 revealed". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  290. ^ "UEFA.com fans' Team of the Year 2020 revealed". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 20 January 2021. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  291. ^ ESM Top-Elf: Ein Bayern-Star in Europas Elite (in Korean). Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2018. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  292. ^ "ESM reveal Team of the Year for 2019/20". Marca. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  293. ^ "ESM Team of the Season – 2020–21". World Soccer. 7 June 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  294. ^ Rainbow, Jamie (13 June 2022). ESM Team of the Season – 2021–22. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  295. ^ Evans, Jamie (1 August 2023). "ESM Team of the 2022-23 Season". World Soccer. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  296. ^ "Manchester City players dominate PFA team of the year". BBC Sport. 18 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  297. ^ Pollard, Rob (8 September 2020). "De Bruyne and Silva in PFA Team of the Year". Manchester City F.C. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  298. ^ "PFA Premier League Team of the Year: Kevin de Bruyne one of six Manchester City players picked". BBC Sport. 4 June 2021. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  299. ^ "Mohamed Salah and Sam Kerr win PFA player of year awards". BBC Sport. 9 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  300. ^ "Erling Haaland: Manchester City forward wins PFA men's Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 29 August 2023. Archived from the original on 13 September 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  301. ^ "De Bruyne wins Playmaker of the Season award". Premier League. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  302. ^ "UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 27 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2 June 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  303. ^ "UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 2 June 2019. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  304. ^ "UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 28 August 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  305. ^ "UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 31 May 2021. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  306. ^ "2021/22 UEFA Champions League Team of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 31 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  307. ^ "2022/23 UEFA Champions League Team of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 June 2023. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  308. ^ "FIFA World Cup Fan Dream Team". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 18 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  309. ^ "De Bruyne earns November 2019 Budweiser Goal of the Month". Premier League. 14 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  310. ^ "De Bruyne completes double with Budweiser Goal of the Month". Premier League. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  311. ^ "PFA Player of the Year: Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne wins second award". BBC Sport. 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  312. ^ "FSA Awards 2022: De Bruyne & Mead win major supporter honours". Football Supporters' Association. 15 November 2022. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  313. ^ "Kevin De Bruyne: Champions League Midfielder of the Season". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  314. ^ "Premier League Team of the 2010s: The Decade's Best". si.com. 30 December 2019.
  315. ^ "IFFHS MEN'S WORLD BEST PLAYMAKER 2021 – KEVIN DE BRUYNE". IFFHS.com. 28 November 2021. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  316. ^ "IFFHS MEN'S WORLD BEST PLAYMAKER 2023". IFFHS.com. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  317. ^ "IFFHS (International Federation of Football for History & Statistics". IFFHS.com. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  318. ^ "Ontdek ons 125 Years Icons Team" (in Dutch).
  319. ^ "IFFHS". IFFHS.com. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  320. ^ "2020 Winners & Finalists". Northwest Football Awards. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  321. ^ "Guardiola, De Bruyne and Hemp honoured at 2022 Northwest Football Awards". Manchester City F.C. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  322. ^ "Bayern Munich's Thomas Müller sets new Bundesliga assist record". Bundesliga. 7 June 2020.
  323. ^ "Rules & Governance – Law 3: The number of players". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  324. ^ "Football MATCH: 14.11.2012 (Romania v Belgium)". EU Football. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  325. ^ "Football MATCH: 26.05.2014 (Belgium v Luxembourg)". EU Football. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  326. ^ "Football MATCH: 05.06.2017 (Belgium v Czech Republic)". EU Football. Retrieved 19 November 2017.

Bibliography

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kevin De Bruyne.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevin_De_Bruyne&oldid=1265382627"
  NODES
Association 18
COMMUNITY 3
INTERN 20
Note 3
twitter 3