Kevin De Bruyne’s illustrious tenure at Manchester City is set to conclude at the end of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
The 33-year-old midfielder will depart with an impressive collection of silverware, including multiple league titles, FA Cups, and a Champions League triumph.
City have faced challenges this season and were unable to give De Bruyne a fitting farewell, falling to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final. ..Continue Reading
Despite this, his decade-long spell at the club has firmly cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players to grace English football.
Since joining City in 2015, the Belgian playmaker has competed against some of the biggest names in the Premier League, from Mohamed Salah to Cole Palmer.
When asked about the toughest opponents he has faced, De Bruyne singled out defensive midfielders N’Golo Kante and Fabinho as the most formidable players he has encountered.
“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 played a crucial role in Liverpool’s squad that ended their long wait for a league title, forming a solid midfield core alongside Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk.
Meanwhile, De Bruyne frequently came up against N’Golo Kante during the French midfielder’s time at Leicester City and Chelsea.
Kante was instrumental in Leicester’s historic Premier League triumph and later helped Chelsea secure the same trophy the following season.
It’s fitting that both Fabinho and Kante were key figures in the only teams that managed to prevent Manchester City from claiming the league title during De Bruyne’s tenure in England.
