On the eve of the Belgian national team's upcoming UEFA A League first round match against Israel, team core De Bruyne accepted an exclusive interview with Belgian media HLN. In the interview, De Bruyne not only reviewed the performance of the Belgian team in the UEFA Europa League, but also talked about his future planning in the national team and his mentality when facing the impact of young players.
Regarding his role in the national team, De Bruyne said that he is the last holdout of the "golden generation", with the departure of Vertonghen, Courtois and other veterans, he felt the passage of time. But he also emphasized that this is the natural evolution of soccer career, the rise of young players is inevitable. When asked if he felt he was no longer young, De Bruyne responded with humor, saying that although he looked older, he was still in good physical condition and enjoying the fun the game brings.
Regarding the Euro defeat, De Bruyne said he has accepted the reality and tried to relax as much as possible during his vacation. He admitted that he had thoughts of quitting the national team at that moment, but ultimately decided to continue to play for the Belgian team, because he believes that as long as he can still play at a high level, he should continue to move forward. For the future planning of the competition, De Bruyne said that this year's Euro could be his last big tournament, but he also admitted that he has not yet made a final decision.
Speaking about national team manager Tedesco, De Bruyne expressed his understanding of his public apology after the Euros. He doesn't think it's his job to assess Euro performances, but he also recognizes the coach's efforts to take the pressure off his players. Regarding his team's performance in the Europa League, De Bruyne believes that his team did their best, but the overall strength of the French team was indeed higher.
On the rise of young players, De Bruyne said that this is the norm in soccer. He believes that young players are capable of taking responsibility in the national team and expects them to show their strength in the coming matches. At the same time, he also said that he will adjust his playing style according to the characteristics of his teammates to adapt to different game scenarios.
Finally, De Bruyne talked about the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches. He said that the team needs to stay focused and combative and be fully prepared for every game. Regarding the absence of Romelu Lukaku, De Bruyne said that the team needs to rely on other players to fill the gap and believes that they are capable of doing well in the competition.
