Kevin De Bruyne facts for kids
De Bruyne with Belgium in 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kevin De Bruyne | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1991 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Drongen, Belgium | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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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 | 272 | (70) | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Belgium U18 | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | Belgium U19 | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | Belgium U21 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2010– | Belgium | 107 | (30) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:41, 19 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:15, 9 September 2024 (UTC) |
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Kevin De Bruyne (born 28 June 1991) is a Belgian professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for the English club Manchester City and the Belgium national team. Many people think he is one of the best players of his time. He is famous for his amazing passes, great skills, powerful shots, and for creating chances for his team.
De Bruyne started his senior career at Genk in Belgium. He helped them win the Belgian league title in 2011. In 2012, he joined the English club Chelsea. He didn't play much there and was loaned to Werder Bremen in Germany. He then moved to Wolfsburg in 2014. There, he became one of the best players in the German league (Bundesliga) and helped Wolfsburg win the German Cup.
In 2015, De Bruyne joined Manchester City. He has won many titles with them, including the UEFA Champions League, six Premier League titles, five League Cups, and two FA Cups. In the 2017–18 season, he helped City become the first Premier League team to get 100 points in one season. In 2019–20, he set a record for the most assists in a Premier League season. He also won the Premier League Player of the Season award twice. In 2022–23, he was a key player as Manchester City won the continental treble, which means they won three major trophies in one season.
De Bruyne first played for the Belgian national team in 2010. He has played over 100 games and scored 30 goals for his country. He played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016, where Belgium reached the quarter-finals. He was part of the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in the 2018 World Cup, where Belgium finished third. He also played in Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup, and Euro 2024.
He has won many individual awards, like being named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season and IFFHS Men's World Team multiple times. He has also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season three times and the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out at Genk
Kevin De Bruyne began playing football at his hometown club, KVV Drongen, in 1997. Two years later, he joined Gent. In 2005, he moved to Genk. He kept getting better in their youth teams. In 2008, he was promoted to the first team. When he was young, De Bruyne was a fan of Liverpool and admired Michael Owen.
De Bruyne played his first game for Genk on 9 May 2009. He scored his first goal for the club on 7 February 2010, helping Genk win 1–0. In the 2010–11 season, he scored five goals and made 16 assists. Genk won the Belgian championship that year. On 29 October 2011, he scored three goals in one game (a hat-trick) against Club Brugge, which Genk won 5–4. He finished that season with eight goals in 28 games.
Time at Chelsea and Werder Bremen
On 31 January 2012, De Bruyne signed with Premier League club Chelsea. He signed a five-and-a-half-year contract. However, he stayed at Genk for the rest of the 2011–12 season. He said that joining Chelsea was "a dream."
Loan to Werder Bremen
On 31 July 2012, Chelsea sent De Bruyne on loan to Werder Bremen in Germany for a season. He scored his first goal for Bremen on 15 September in a 3–2 loss. He kept scoring, getting another goal in Bremen's next game. He scored the winning goal on 18 November in a 2–1 victory. He helped Bremen stay in the Bundesliga for the next season.
Back to Chelsea
After playing well in Germany, De Bruyne returned to Chelsea on 1 July 2013. The manager, José Mourinho, told him he was part of Chelsea's future plans. De Bruyne played his first official game for Chelsea on the first day of the 2013–14 Premier League season. He made an assist in a 2–0 win.
Success at Wolfsburg
On 18 January 2014, De Bruyne joined Wolfsburg in Germany. He played his first game for Wolfsburg on 25 January 2014. On 12 April 2014, he made two assists in a 4–1 win. A week later, he scored his first goal for Wolfsburg.
Amazing 2014–15 Season
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De Bruyne had a fantastic 2014–15 season. On 2 October 2014, he scored a great goal in a Europa League game. On 30 January 2015, he scored two goals in a big 4–1 win against Bayern Munich. On 1 March 2015, he made three assists in a 5–3 win against his old club, Werder Bremen.
He finished the league season with 10 goals and 21 assists, which was a new Bundesliga record. Wolfsburg finished second in the league and qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League. On 30 May 2015, he scored in the German Cup final, helping Wolfsburg beat Borussia Dortmund 3–1.
De Bruyne ended this season with 16 goals and 27 assists in all games. He was named the 2015 Germany Footballer of the Year.
Starting the 2015–16 Season
De Bruyne started the new season by winning the 2015 DFL-Supercup against Bayern Munich. He set up a goal and scored in the penalty shootout. He also scored his first goal of the season on 8 August 2015.
During this time, there were many rumors that Manchester City wanted to buy him. De Bruyne said he wouldn't force Wolfsburg to sell him, but he couldn't ignore interest from Manchester City.
Joining Manchester City
First Season: 2015–16
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On 30 August 2015, Manchester City announced that De Bruyne had joined them on a six-year contract. He made his first appearance for City on 12 September. On 19 September, he scored his first goal for the club. He continued to score in other games, including a League Cup win and a Premier League match.
On 21 October, De Bruyne scored a winning goal in injury time against Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League. On 1 December, he scored two goals in a 4–1 win to help Manchester City reach the League Cup semi-finals.
On 27 January 2016, De Bruyne scored in a League Cup semi-final win. However, he got a knee injury that kept him out for two months. He returned on 2 April, scoring a goal in a 4–0 win. Four days later, he scored against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals. On 12 April, De Bruyne scored the winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain, sending Manchester City to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time ever.
Key Player: 2016–17
On 10 September 2016, De Bruyne scored and assisted in the first Manchester derby of the season, which City won 2–1. He was named Man of the Match. He also played brilliantly in a 4–0 win over Bournemouth, scoring one goal and assisting another. On 1 November 2016, De Bruyne scored from a free kick in a 3–1 win over FC Barcelona.
Winning the League: 2017–18
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De Bruyne helped set up goals in a 5–0 win over Liverpool on 9 September 2017. On 26 September, he scored his first goal of the season. On 30 September 2017, he scored his first Premier League goal of the season against his former club, Chelsea, in a 1–0 win. He continued to score and assist goals throughout the season.
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On 22 January 2018, De Bruyne signed a new contract with Manchester City until 2023. On 25 February, he played in the 2018 EFL Cup Final against Arsenal. Manchester City won 3–0, winning their first trophy under manager Pep Guardiola.
On 31 March 2018, he made an assist that meant City only needed one more win to secure the Premier League title. On the last day of the season, De Bruyne assisted the winning goal in a 1–0 win. This meant City reached 100 points, a new record. He won the first-ever Premier League Playmaker of the Season award for his 16 assists. He was also named Manchester City Player of the Season.
Injuries and Treble: 2018–19
On 15 August 2018, De Bruyne got a knee injury during training. He was expected to be out for about three months. After he returned in October, he got another knee injury. However, he recovered faster than expected. He came on as a substitute in the FA Cup final against Watford. He scored one goal and assisted two others. City won the game and completed the first-ever domestic treble in English men's football.
Record-Breaking Assists: 2019–20
On 30 November 2019, De Bruyne scored a great goal against Newcastle. This goal was later voted the Premier League Goal of the Month. On 15 December 2019, he scored two goals in a 3–0 win against Arsenal.
De Bruyne scored his 50th goal for City on 26 February 2020 in a 2–1 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
In the last Premier League game of the season, City won 5–0. De Bruyne scored two goals and made his 20th league assist. This equaled Thierry Henry's record for the most assists in a Premier League season. He also won his second Premier League Playmaker of the Season award. He became the first player to get 20 assists in a single season in two of Europe's top leagues.
At the end of the season, he won the Premier League Player of the Season award. He also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, becoming the first Manchester City player to do so.
More Trophies: 2020–21
On 21 September 2020, De Bruyne scored and assisted in City's first game of the season. On 7 April, De Bruyne signed a new four-year contract.
On 25 April 2021, City won the EFL Cup Final 1–0. De Bruyne's free-kick led to the winning goal. On 28 April, he scored in a 2–1 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals. On 29 May, De Bruyne got a head injury in the Champions League Final. His team lost 1–0 to Chelsea. After the game, scans showed he had broken his nose and eye socket. He still won the PFA Player's Player Of The Year award again.
Another Great Season: 2021–22
On 26 April 2022, De Bruyne scored the fastest goal in a Champions League semi-final, after just 93 seconds. On 11 May, he scored four goals in 24 minutes in a 5–1 win. This was his first hat-trick for the club and the third-fastest in Premier League history.
De Bruyne won the Premier League Player of the Season award again. He also won Manchester City's Player of the Year award for the fourth time. He was the club's top scorer in the Premier League with 15 goals, which was his personal best.
Continental Treble: 2022–23
On 26 April 2023, De Bruyne scored two goals and made an assist in a 4–1 win against Arsenal. This win helped City close the gap at the top of the league. On 9 May, he scored a goal in a 1–1 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.
On 10 June, he played in his second Champions League final. He had to leave the game after 36 minutes due to a hamstring injury. However, Manchester City won 1–0 against Inter Milan. This completed their continental treble, meaning they won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in one season.
Recent Seasons: 2023–24
De Bruyne started the 2023–24 season on 6 August. He came on as a substitute but got a hamstring injury again. He was out for several months. He returned from injury on 7 January 2024, making an assist in an FA Cup game. On 13 January, he scored his first goal of the season and assisted another in a comeback win.
On 6 April, De Bruyne scored his 100th goal for Manchester City. On 17 April, he scored in a Champions League quarter-final draw against Real Madrid. However, City lost in a penalty shootout. On 19 May, he won his 6th Premier League title with the club.
International Career
De Bruyne played for Belgium's youth teams (under-18, under-19, and under-21). He made his debut for the senior team on 11 August 2010 in a friendly match.
He became a regular player for Belgium during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. He scored four goals and helped Belgium qualify for their first major tournament in 12 years.
First World Cup and Euro Appearances
On 13 May 2014, De Bruyne was chosen for Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In their first game, he assisted a goal and was named man of the match. In the round of 16, De Bruyne scored Belgium's first goal in extra time as they beat the United States 2–1. They were later knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals.
On 10 October 2014, De Bruyne scored two goals in a big 6–0 win. On 3 September 2015, he scored in a 3–1 win. On 10 October 2015, he scored again, helping Belgium qualify for UEFA Euro 2016.
On 31 May 2016, De Bruyne was selected for Belgium's squad for UEFA Euro 2016. He played very well in Belgium's games. On 26 June 2016, he was voted Man of the Match in a 4–0 win, where he made two assists.
2018 World Cup Success
De Bruyne was part of Belgium's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On 18 June, he assisted a goal in a 3–0 win. On 6 July, he scored the second goal in a 2–1 win against Brazil in the quarter-finals. He was named man of the match. Belgium lost 1–0 to France in the semi-finals. On 14 July, Belgium beat England 2–0 to finish in third place.
Euro 2020 and 2022 World Cup
On 17 June 2021, De Bruyne scored the winning goal in Belgium's 2–1 victory over Denmark at UEFA Euro 2020. He also assisted the first goal. During a game against Portugal, De Bruyne got an ankle injury. Despite this, he played in the quarter-final match.
De Bruyne played in all three games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Belgium was eliminated in the group stage.
Becoming Captain
On 21 March 2023, De Bruyne was announced as Belgium's new captain. A week later, he led Belgium to beat Germany for the first time since 1954. He scored a goal and made two assists in a 3–2 win. On 28 May 2024, he was chosen for the Belgian squad for UEFA Euro 2024. A few days later, on 5 June, he played his 100th game for Belgium and scored a goal in a 2–0 win.
How Kevin De Bruyne Plays
Style of Play
Kevin De Bruyne is a very talented and versatile player. He mostly plays as an attacking midfielder or a central midfielder. But he can also play in other positions, like a winger or a second striker. Sometimes, he even plays in a deeper role to create plays or as a false 9 (a forward who drops deep).
Experts often say he is one of the best modern advanced playmakers. This is because of his great technique, skill, energy, and hard work without the ball. He has amazing vision, can cross the ball very accurately, and can pass in many different ways. He also has a powerful shot with both feet.
Even though he isn't super strong or fast, he is quick and elegant with the ball. He is good at dribbling. His ability to find space, move smartly, and run at defenders makes him dangerous. He creates many chances for himself and his teammates, especially during quick counter-attacks. Besides creating goals, he also scores by running into the penalty area. He is also very good at taking set-pieces like free kicks and corners.
Personal Life
Family and Background
Kevin De Bruyne's mother is Belgian. She was born in Burundi and also lived in the Ivory Coast. She grew up in London because her parents moved there for work. She returned to Belgium when she met Kevin's father, Herwig.
De Bruyne's parents settled in Drongen, a town in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. Kevin speaks Dutch, English, French, and German.
As a child, De Bruyne often visited his grandparents in London. He said London felt like his "second home."
De Bruyne has been with Michèle Lacroix since 2014. They got married in June 2017 and have three children.
Helping Others
De Bruyne has been involved in many charity efforts. He was an ambassador for the 2014 Special Olympics in Antwerp.
Since 2016, the Kevin De Bruyne Cup, an international youth football tournament, has been held in Drongen, Belgium.
In 2018, UEFA chose De Bruyne as an ambassador. He gave 100,000 euros to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In 2019, De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku gave shoes to children in hospitals for a campaign called 'Kicks for Kids'.
De Bruyne also supports the "Common Goal" campaign. This encourages footballers to donate 1% of their earnings to social causes around the world. He has also given money for cancer research and played in charity matches.
In 2023, De Bruyne and his wife became 'godparents' of the Ronald McDonald Children’s Fund. This charity helps parents stay close to their hospitalized children.
Honours and Awards
Genk
- Belgian Pro League: 2010–11
- Belgian Cup: 2008–09
- Belgian Super Cup: 2011
VfL Wolfsburg
- DFB-Pokal: 2014–15
- DFL-Supercup: 2015
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
- FA Cup: 2018–19, 2022–23
- Football League/EFL Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
- FA Community Shield: 2019, 2024
- UEFA Champions League: 2022–23
Belgium
- FIFA World Cup third place: 2018
Individual Awards
- Bundesliga Player of the Year: 2014–15
- Footballer of the Year (Germany): 2015
- Belgian Sportsman of the Year: 2015
- Manchester City Player of the Season: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22
- FIFA FIFPRO World 11: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- IFFHS Men's World Team: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2017, 2019, 2020
- PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
- Premier League Playmaker of the Season: 2017–18, 2019–20, 2022–23
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
- FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2018
- Premier League Player of the Season: 2019–20, 2021–22
- PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2019–20, 2020–21
- IFFHS World's Best Playmaker: 2020, 2021, 2023
Images for kids
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De Bruyne with Belgium in 2018
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De Bruyne warming up with Chelsea in 2013
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De Bruyne during his spell with Werder Bremen in 2012
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De Bruyne playing for Wolfsburg against Mainz in 2014
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De Bruyne playing for Manchester City in January 2016
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De Bruyne during a pre-season training session in 2017
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De Bruyne during the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, on 10 December 2017
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De Bruyne on the ball for Manchester City in the Champions League against RB Leipzig in 2021
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De Bruyne (right) lining up for Belgium in 2013
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De Bruyne playing for Belgium against Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
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De Bruyne celebrating Belgium's 2-1 win over Brazil at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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De Bruyne playing for Belgium against Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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De Bruyne in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Kevin De Bruyne para niños
