Qatar 2022 | Star player: Kevin De Bruyne can take Belgium all the way

Qatar 2022, know your star players: Kevin De Bruyne

Though football is a team sport, there are players who rise above their teammates to help carry a team to greater heights — players whose contribution is such that without them, teams are like a bird without a song. In a Belgian national squad teeming with so many talented individuals they are regarded as the country’s “golden generation”, that player is Kevin De Bruyne.

The inexhaustible Manchester City player, with close on 100 caps for his country, has established himself as the heart and soul of the Red Devils thanks to his ability to take charge of matters on the pitch and drive Belgium forward.

It was due to his efforts in Russia in 2018 that Belgium had their best showing at a Fifa World Cup when they reached the semifinals and went on to win the third-place playoff clash against England. De Bruyne was a colossal figure for Roberto Martinez’s team, and contributed a goal plus two assists as the Red Devils came within inches of reaching a maiden final appearance.

While he was already a big star in Russia, De Bruyne has since developed into a world superstar thanks to his monstrous showings for Pep Guardiola’s City in the English Premier League and Uefa Champions League.

Guardiola has coached many great players in his illustrious career and he wouldn’t throw accolades around willy-nilly, but to hear him speak of De Bruyne is to understand just how good a player the 31-year-old is.

“One of the best players I’ve seen in my life,” the Spaniard has said. “He can make everything. Top, top quality player.”

And he is not exaggerating. That De Bruyne has often been referred to as a complete player is because of his versatility that sees him playing just about any position. Though he is a natural attacking midfielder, he is adept at wing play and can also be used as a false nine or even as a deep-lying midfielder.

His spectacular workrate, football intelligence, brilliant vision that results in him delivering those killer passes and ability to play at high intensity for the full match is what Belgium will be relying on as they look to top Group F, which also includes 2018 finalists Croatia, Morocco and Canada.

If Belgium are to finally become world champions, you can bet De Bruyne will play the influential role in that feat — that’s just how good a player he is.

Club: ManchesterCity

Previous clubs: VfL Wolfsburg,  Werder Bremen, Chelsea, Genk

National caps (goals): 93 (25)

Previous World Cup performance: 2014 — 4 matches; 1 goal, 2 assists; 2018 — 6 matches, 1 goal, 2 assists

International honours: 2018 Fifa World Cup bronze medal

Club honours:  Belgian Pro League 2010-11; Belgian Cup 2008-09; Belgian Super Cup 2011; German DFB-Pokal 2014-15, German DFL-Supercup 2015; English Premier League 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22; FA Cup: 2018-19; English Football League Cup: 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21; English FA Community Shield 2019

* The 2022 Fifa World Cup kicks off on November 20 and the final is on December 18. TimesLIVE and TimesLIVE Premium will profile all eight groups, the tournament favourites, star players and five African teams over the coming weeks.

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