“I Need to Rest” – Kevin De Bruyne Abruptly Exits Press Conference and Talks Man City Future
Kevin De Bruyne’s Euro 2024 journey ended in heartbreak as Belgium fell to France in the last-16. Now, the spotlight shifts to the star midfielder’s future at Manchester City and with the Belgian national team.
During a tense post-match press conference, De Bruyne, visibly agitated, left abruptly after branding a question ‘stupid’. This incident followed Belgium’s disappointing campaign, which saw them adopting a more defensive strategy against France. Despite their efforts, a late deflected goal by Randal Kolo Muani sealed their fate.
Earlier, De Bruyne had distanced himself from fans after the group stage, highlighting the team’s struggle and disconnect with their supporters. The frustration boiled over post-defeat, culminating in a terse exchange with a reporter. When asked about Belgium’s so-called ‘golden generation’ and their perceived underperformance, De Bruyne snapped: “What is a Golden Generation? And France, England, Spain, Germany don’t have one?”
His disdain for the question was clear as he muttered ‘stupid’ and stormed off. The journalist later took to Twitter, calling De Bruyne a ‘spoiled brat’. In contrast, De Bruyne’s Instagram post was more composed, stating, “Played our hearts out today. Thanks to everyone who came out to support!”
Ahead of the match, De Bruyne had been candid about his uncertain future. He mentioned his plan to return to Manchester City for the final year of his contract but noted the absence of talks regarding a new deal or transfer. He also dodged questions about his international career, emphasizing his dedication to Belgium but acknowledging the toll of a demanding season.
Pressed again on his international plans, the 33-year-old said, “It’s too early to answer. Let me process this loss. It’s been a very long season, I need to rest my body. I will make my decision after the summer.
“I’m very happy physically and mentally after the year I’ve had. That’s what I wanted, to come out of a season healthy and in good shape. Unfortunately, now it’s time to rest. When I come back I’ll put everything together, but I feel really good.”
In other Euro 2024 news, Portugal narrowly escaped an upset, defeating Slovenia on penalties. Bernardo Silva redeemed himself from his past Real Madrid miss by scoring the decisive penalty, following an impressive three consecutive saves by goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
