Kevin De Bruyne didn't hesitate when naming the two players who were his 'toughest opponents'

Kevin De Bruyne's remarkable Manchester City career will come to an end when the 2024-25 Premier League season draws to a close.

The 33-year-old will leave the club with a remarkable trophy haul, having won six league titles, two FA Cups, and the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.

City have struggled this season, and they failed to send De Bruyne off into the sunset on a high after losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the 2025 FA Cup final.

However, after 10 glorious years in Manchester, there is no denying his legacy.

Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium in 2015, the Belgian maestro has gone toe-to-toe with some of the greatest players English football has to offer.

From Mohamed Salah to Cole Palmer, De Bruyne's opponent list is a who's who of modern Premier League legends.

However, when asked about his toughest opponents in a recent interview with Sky Sports, De Bruyne revealed that the players he feared most were in fact defensive midfielders N'Golo Kante and Fabinho.

"In the Premier League, I'd say [N'Golo] Kante, Fabinho was really strong at his time with [Jordan] Henderson and [James] Milner because they covered so much space, so aggressive," he said.

"But I'd say these two [Kante/Fabinho] stood out, probably most difficult in the way they played.

"And also because Kante is small but covered so much space and he's a bit tricky.

"Kante's speed, agility, a very different player."

Fabinho was part of the Liverpool side that ended The Reds' 30-year wait for a league title, former a strong spine alongside the likes of Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk.

De Bruyne faced Kante on several occasions during the Frenchman's spells with Leicester City and Chelsea.

The defensive midfielder was key to The Foxes' remarkable Premier League title win, and he followed that up by lifting the famous trophy with Chelsea the following season.

Perhaps it is no surprise that the two were the holding midfielders in the only sides to beat City to the Premier League title during De Bruyne's time in England.

Reporting by Jonathan Bray.