Recognised twice out of the last three times as the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, it’s clear to see that Kevin De Bruyne is held in high esteem by his peers.
In an interview with Amazon Prime Video Sport in March, Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk went as far as to single the Belgian international out as one of the toughest opponents he has faced throughout his career.
The Dutchman’s fellow teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold was also once asked that if Jurgen Klopp’s side could hypothetically sign any two players in the Premier League, who would it be.
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The Genk academy graduate and Tottenham’s Son Heung-min turned out to be the England internationals picks.
Despite the intense sporting rivalry between both clubs, the fact that Liverpool’s key men gave Kevin De Bruyne his flowers is an insight into how he is viewed within the game.
This season, Sky Blues eventually crashed out of the Champions League after eventual victors Real Madrid pulled off a comeback that will forever be etched into the history books.
Rodrygo, the Spanish side’s saviour in the second leg, has been paying his credit to the Belgian superstar, Kevin De Bruyne.
“The best team we played in the Champions League run? Manchester City. Their best player? Kevin De Bruyne,” he commented, as translated and relayed by the Madrid Zone.
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While the Brazilian winger has showcased his class by giving De Bruyne the credit he deserves, it is also worth noting that his choice is far from a surprise.
After all, the Manchester City talisman opened the scoring early into the contest during the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, before going on to set up Gabriel Jesus with a sublime pass and all in all, looked like a cut above several of the world’s best players on the day.
While a host of players such as Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema, Phil Foden and Vinicius Jr. produced moments of magic, it is not far-fetched to suggest that De Bruyne was arguably the best player on the pitch over the course of both legs.
Especially considering the calibre of teams faced by Rodrygo’s side in Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea before coming up against Pep Guardiola’s side, the 21-year-old’s admission is a massive compliment to the Belgian international’s stellar pair of showings.
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Since making the switch from VfL Wolfsburg to Manchester City in the summer of 2015, Kevin De Bruyne has largely been hailed as the best midfielder in the world.
But it seems as if his reputation is only set to improve amongst his compatriots as time goes on.
Topics: Manchester City, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Premier League, Champions League, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodrygo