Kevin De Bruyne admits that he needs to accept that Belgium are not Manchester City, with the midfielder working on keeping his emotions in check.
Playmaker used to starring in the Premier LeagueLife not as easy on an international stageDemanding character expects a lot from colleagues
WHAT HAPPENED? The 31-year-old is accustomed to puling the strings for the Premier League champions, with his club employers expecting to breeze past every opponent they face while chasing down domestic and European honours. That was once the case for Belgium, in a so-called ‘Golden Generation’, but their powers are on the wane and De Bruyne has picked up an unfortunate habit of berating team-mates for seemingly falling short of his lofty expectations.
WHAT THEY SAID: De Bruyne, who is on 2022 World Cup duty, has said of having to take a different mindset into the Belgium camp: “We can’t play in the same way as Manchester City. As a national team you have to adapt to the players you have around you. Does it frustrate me sometimes? Yes, but I should show that less although that is the perfection I strive for.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: De Bruyne, who was caught on camera arguing with Toby Alderweireld during Belgium’s 1-0 win over Canada in their World Cup opener, added on his passionate approach: “I do know that my reactions are not always good. I also look for moments afterwards to find that peace but people know that it’s my way to help the team play better and get more out of the game. But of course, I also have to learn to react in a better way. Every now and then the emotions spill over but that’s also part of the game.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Belgium will be back in action against Morocco on Sunday, while City’s next game – once the global gathering in Qatar comes to a close – will be against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on December 22.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has opened up on new All-Star Game format. James,… Read More
India’s football icon Sunil Chhetri has had a glorious career as he has ticked the… Read More
East Bengal FC midfielder Madih Talal has been ruled out of the rest of the… Read More
Renowned Tennis journalist Christopher Clarey has shed light on Novak Djokovic appointing Andy Murray as… Read More
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted he has no regrets after dropping Marcus… Read More
India’s wicket-keeper bat Sanju Samson has revealed head coach Gautam Gambhir has played an instrumental… Read More