The Belgium captain has very clear ideas on the eve of his debut at Euro 2024 against Slovakia: “We are not the favorites and it is difficult to say where we should be classified.”
De Bruyne’s words
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“I wouldn’t say that our national team is the third best in the world at the moment – explained KDB -, but in a tournament the rankings don’t matter.”
“We are in a positive flow and I feel that the team is ready – he added -. We are not the favorites and it is difficult to say where we should be classified”.
The season of KDB
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De Bruyne played 15 Premier League games for Manchester City last season, but a long-term hamstring injury kept him out, but he feels fresh, with several new youngsters in the Belgium squad, and a new positive energy around the selection .
Injuries have limited the 32-year-old midfielder to four appearances in the 18 months since Belgium’s disastrous exit from the first round of the World Cup in Qatar.
“Qatar is over – clarified De Bruyne -, we cannot change things positively or negatively. It was a disappointment, but there is a new coach (Domenico Tedesco) and this is a new tournament”.
Belgium squad
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Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest);
Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht);
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Orel Mangala (Lyon), Amadou Onana (Everton), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Arthur Vermeeren (Atletico Madrid), Aster Vranckx (Wolfsburg), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid);
Attackers: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (Roma), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (Leipzig), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal ).
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