Kevin De Bruyne: Farewell to a Manchester City Legend
“Gundogan… promising … De Bruyneeeeee! “
In what was the club’s fourth appearance in a UEFA Champions League semi final after being 1-0 down to the most recent winners and current record holders at the time Real Madrid, Kevin De Bruyne strikes a 25-yard first time shot to keep his team in it when it looked like they were going to fall short of the UCL target yet again.
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This moment is a lot more special when you realize Kevin was playing with a hamstring injury that required surgery but sacrificed his body to play as long as possible for the club he loved, eventually dropping assists in the second leg of that UCL semi final, the FA Cup Final and a special three-goal contribution game in the Premier League vs fellow title contenders Arsenal.
On the 4th of April 2025, Kevin De Bruyne announced he is leaving Manchester City after ten years at the club. What is no doubt a sad and emotional feeling for Manchester City fans and fans of the Premier League alike, let’s remember the career of Kevin De Bruyne a bit and always remember just how special he was.
The Beginning
Off the back of a Bundesliga Player of the Year Campaign, holding the seasonal assist record of the league at the time, Manchester City signed the 24-year-old Kevin De Bruyne for 54.5 million pounds to bolster and increase the strength of their midfield and creativity.
The British media were already at the scene to pounce on anything negative as he was already touted as an expensive flop based on his time at Chelsea when he had little game time. After scoring in two of his three league games, he had a wonderful performance in a six goal win against Newcastle with a goal and two assists to Sergio Agüero, which showed the level the Belgian was playing at and coming with.
He was also on a very high level in the Carabao Cup where he dropped great performances in the games he played up to the semifinals. However, he suffered a bit with injuries across the season and the team won the Carabao without him in the squad but upon his return, he fired City to their first ever Champions League semi final with two wonderful goals in two games against Paris Saint Germain.
He ended the season with 16 goals and 12 assists in 41 games for Manchester City. For a midfielder to do that in his first season at a club which was beginning to see stardom once again was amazing and showed people just the amount of impact he could have.
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The Abilities
Kevin De Bruyne’s time at Manchester City can be referred to with a single word. Inevitability. The midfielder during his ten year tenure was whatever he needed to be for his team to win. Since De Bruyne joined Manchester City in 2015, no player has assisted more goals (117) or created more chances (827) than him across the big five leagues in European football.
The name was synonymous with playmaker. He played every type of pass possible to make sure the goals were scored. Do you want a through ball that blindsides your defenders? Been there, done that. Newcastle 21 August 2022. A low diagonal pass that completely split the defence? Ask Leroy Sané what happened against Stoke on the 15th of October, 2017. An outswinger cross from the left hand side? Haaland against Liverpool at the Carabao?
Or is it long passes from deep, cutbacks in the box or crosses from the right hand side, his speciality for making it possible for anyone to score with just a touch to the ball with the right amount of weight he puts on the ball? De Bruyne’s passing and crossing was one of the best in the world. Outright consistent and outrageous. That was only one of the qualities Manchester City enjoyed.
De Bruyne was also a powerful runner and carrier as well as being ambipedal. He was impossible to stop when he could go through your midfield in seconds and then play a pass with any foot at any angle that left your defence open. He scored a hattrick with his weak foot in a season his team needed a single point to win the league that season.
He’s scored incredible goals against the biggest opponents in world football like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and so on with a different variety of finishes that left the keeper with nowhere to turn.
His ability on the ball and off it and with his third man runs — always gave Manchester City options on the pitch for progression and goal scoring chances. To see that level of football mastery for ten years shows you so much that you don’t believe any footballer can replace him.
The Achievements
In 10 years, Kevin achieved a lifetime of beautiful awards and medals. He won six league titles with Manchester City, including the one with 100 points, the one part of the domestic quadruple and the one of the treble. He also won the Champions League as part of the first group of Manchester City players to ever lift it.
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Winning seventeen trophies so far for Manchester City, he is one of the club’s most decorated players of all time. He also has the joint most City Player of the year awards, shared with Richard Dunne. A two time Premier League and PFA Player of the year winner -being one of just three and the only midfielder to win the latter consecutively- Kevin is lauded as one of the best players in the league ever.
He has the second most PL assists ever. 5 FIFPRO 11 appearances, 6 IFFHS XI appearances, 3 UEFA TOTY, 5 PL TOTY, 1 UEFA midfielder of the season, 3 time PL-playmaker award of the season(established in 17/18) and 4 times being the highest assister altogether. What he’s won whilst being a City player is stunning and his Champions League legacy, being top 10 in highest CL assists, make him worthy of the mantle of being City’s greatest ever player.
The Memories
Where to start? In ten years, Kevin has brought hope and joy to City fans everywhere. He’s scored equalisers, winners and created chances from thin air to get us through in recent times. The free kick against Barcelona in 2017? Or the four goal performance away from home- three off his weak foot – in one of the biggest title races in PL history?
Or is it the tying shoelaces while City were 2-0 down only to assist the winner, many debate if that was an assist too because of the quality of the pass. Or on his PL return from injury, the crowd chanted his name, he scored and gave a delightful ball to Oscar Bobb to change the trajectory of Manchester City’s season for the better?
The thunderbolt against Chelsea in 2017/18? The left foot finish against Spurs that had him raising “two” and “one” on his fingers? That cold walk against Arsenal after destroying them yet again at the Emirates and their fans could only throw bottles as they watched their hopes get dashed again by one of the Premier League’s greatest ever players, that one could also be there. The performance was Real Madrid in 2020, 2022, 2023?
All good things just come to an end and for City fans and English football, the best has. Kevin De Bruyne is a legend and one of the best midfielders the game has ever seen. I hope this article can do even a little to remind us of the glory of King Kev.
By: @Prince_Requiem
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Getty Images