As the hype machine began to hum towards the end of the last decade around Belgium’s clutch of young talent for which the tag of ‘Golden Generation’ was naturally bestowed, there was always a feeling within the country that for all the talent of his peers, Kevin De Bruyne was ‘The One’.
Romelu Lukaku’s freakish physical attributes well beyond his years marked him out as unique, while Eden Hazard’s natural athleticism, skillset and the fact he was starring in Ligue 1 as a teenager hinted at a path to greatness. Thibaut Courtois’ temperament, maturity and reflexes also offered several reasons to believe he was going to be a special goalkeeper. De Bruyne was something a bit different; his abilities more intriguing and less obvious.
His road to the top was unlikely to be straightforward and would need the right management and situation. Certainly his former coach at Genk, Franky Vercauteren, thought so when interviewed by Sport360 in 2011 – a month before his former protege moved to Chelsea.
“De Bruyne has always been an interesting player. He can play in several positions and is exceptionally gifted,” the then Al Jazira boss said. “I think it is a very big step for him. He will have problems with the physical power in England… but I’d rather he joined a club a step between.”
And so it came to pass as De Bruyne’s Chelsea career dissolved amid stories of a questionable work attitude and a personal issue with Courtois. But, ultimately, the issue lay with Jose Mourinho and his perception of De Bruyne.
The Portuguese is not a man who traditionally appreciates nuance in a player: defenders defend, midfielders pass and help out their back four, wingers must be quick and track back and strikers should be strong and put the ball in the back of the net regularly. He has no real time for adjectives like mercurial or enigmatic. It’s no surprise De Bruyne’s baby face never fit the Mourinho model.
Physically he stands at 5ft 11ins; neither short enough to be that cliche of a diminutive playmaker nor tall enough to provide a real presence. He’s not quick or strong, does have a tendency to drift out of games – offensively and defensively – and can be wasteful in possession.
95 - Kevin de Bruyne scores/assists a goal every 95 minutes, the best ratio for an English club player this season (15+ GA, all comps). Hit.
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) April 12, 2016
Quiet and introspective, on the few occasions he wore a dark blue shirt he looked ill-fitted to the style of play and his role. As Vercauteren forecast, it needed Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg, where he was afforded freedom on the field to develop at his own leisure, to unlock the puzzle of what he is.
And Manchester City are now firmly reaping the benefits, his fine goal against Paris Saint-Germain only confirmation of his status now at the club; while for Belgium he’s arguably been their most consistent player for three years.
It seemed something of a lazy comparison at the time but then Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas declaring in 2011 that he was similar to Enzo Scifo looks incredibly prescient. Scifo prospered for Anderlecht; earned a glamour move to Internazionale where he spectacularly flopped and it took a spell in France with Auxerre to bring out his best to which he then went on to star for Monaco.
Much like his career arc, De Bruyne’s game is about timing. He has a wonderful sense of awareness to know exactly when to release the ball or retain possession and an acute appreciation of space. His passes are also mostly made with intention, ahead of his team-mates.
In the Premier League, only Mesut Ozil (123), Christian Eriksen (102) Dimitri Payet (94) and Willian (74) have created more chances than him (69). De Bruyne, however, has played 488 minutes less than Payet, 637 less than Willian, 848 less than Eriksen and 967 less than Ozil.
What City could have been with him in the side all season is a question which will go unanswered but what’s equally as fascinating is what he can become.
Pep Guardiola is an appreciator of his talents, claiming him being allowed to play at Wolfsburg for 18 months was “madness”.
Given his track record with Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Thomas Muller, David Alaba and Lionel Messi – supremely-skilled individuals he unquestionably improved – Guardiola, in theory, can draw even more out of the Belgian. What we’re seeing now may be only scratching the surface.
