De Bruyne has played for Manchester City for 10 years, winning 16 major trophies with the team.
Image credit: Manchester City
On a special night at Etihad Stadium, Manchester City fans said goodbye to one of their biggest stars—Kevin De Bruyne.
The 33-year-old midfielder played his final home game for the club in a 3-1 win over Bournemouth, and it was an emotional moment for everyone, including his coach Pep Guardiola, who had tears in his eyes.
De Bruyne has played for Manchester City for 10 years, winning 16 major trophies with the team.
The club even announced they will build a statue of him outside the stadium and name a road after him at their academy.
A big picture of him was also painted on a wall in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
A Player Who Gave His All
During the game, fans cheered every time De Bruyne touched the ball. They hoped he would score or assist one more time before leaving.
He had a big chance to score in the first half but missed an easy shot, hitting the ball over the bar. “It’s terrible,” he admitted. “My son is going to be very tough on me today.”
De Bruyne was substituted in the second half after a teammate got a red card.
Even though the game didn’t go perfectly for him, the goodbye ceremony was beautiful.
A video was played showing some of his greatest moments, and his former teammates like Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany sent him messages.
After the game, he walked around the field with his wife and kids while fans chanted, “We want you to stay!” But it was clear that this really was the end of his time with the club.
A Humble Star
De Bruyne gave a heartfelt speech to the fans.
“I wanted to play with creativity and passion,” he said. “I hope everyone enjoyed it.”
He thanked his teammates and coaches, saying they made him a better player and friend.
Coach Guardiola said De Bruyne would always be part of Manchester City’s family.
“When you leave after 10 years with this much love and respect, there’s nothing better,” he said.
Former player Micah Richards added, “He lets his football do the talking. He’s shy, but humble and one of the best to ever play in the Premier League.”
Amazing Numbers
De Bruyne’s stats show just how special he is:
- 283 Premier League games played
- 119 assists (second only to Ryan Giggs)
- 72 goals
- 843 chances created (more than anyone else since he joined)
He played 142 league games at home—only David Silva has more for City.
Coach Guardiola even said De Bruyne was the second-best passer he’s ever worked with—only behind Lionel Messi.
What’s Next?
De Bruyne said he was surprised not to be offered a new contract by the club.
While nothing is confirmed, he might move to the Chicago Fire soccer team in the United States.
Now, Manchester City has to think about how to replace him.
They were interested in Florian Wirtz from Germany, but the deal might be too expensive. Other names mentioned include Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.
