Kevin De Bruyne bid an emotional farewell to the Etihad Stadium after making his last house look for Manchester Metropolis on Tuesday.
De Bruyne will go away Metropolis on the finish of the season and was given a guard of honour by his teammates after serving to Metropolis to a 3-1 win over Bournemouth that put them on the point of Champions League qualification.
The Belgium worldwide, who has received 14 main trophies in a adorned 10-year spell with Metropolis, was performed a video that includes tributes from a bunch of former Metropolis colleagues and his spouse and three youngsters, who joined him on the pitch to say goodbye to the followers on the Etihad.
Addressing the gang, De Bruyne mirrored on the legacy he leaves whereas explaining what the membership and metropolis imply to him and his household.
“Manchester is house, Manchester is the place these little children have been born,” he mentioned. “I got here right here with my spouse, Michelle, to remain for a very long time, didn’t count on to be right here 10 years. To do what we’ve achieved as a membership, supporters, teammates we’ve received the whole lot. We made town, the membership greater and now they’re going to take over.
“I needed to play with creativity, I needed to play with ardour. I needed to take pleasure in soccer and I hope everybody loved it. Everyone has pushed me so laborious inside and outdoors the membership to be the most effective model of myself and these guys, everyone we see on the display screen and these guys in entrance of me have made me higher than I used to be earlier than. It’s an honour to play with these guys. I’ve made so many associates for all times. We’ll be again for certain quickly.
Tributes to King Kev 🩵 pic.twitter.com/j3GYdsLXiA
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) May 20, 2025
“This staff tries to entertain individuals and win. This staff works extremely laborious everyone behind the scenes and on the pitch. This staff will win sooner or later, with or with out me, and everyone within the metropolis, the supporters, can be behind the staff like they’ve achieved with me for the final 10 years. This staff could have success that’s for certain.
“You simply wish to do effectively and win after which whenever you win you wish to win extra. You wish to push town and we’ve had 5/six parades and that’s been unbelievable to witness the whole lot that goes round within the metropolis. All of the moments with these teammates there’s been too many to rely. It’s been a pleasure.”
On the followers, who serenaded De Bruyne with chants of his title all through the night, De Bruyne added: “They’ve been so welcoming from the start. To have virtually a full stadium supporting my household and me says the whole lot. Who can have 50,00 individuals ready so that you can say goodbye? It’s indescribable and thanks very a lot.”
Earlier within the day a mosaic of De Bruyne was unveiled on the Metropolis Soccer Academy, nevertheless it was revealed {that a} statue of De Bruyne may even be constructed as a tribute to the indelible mark he has left.
We’ll honour @KevinDeBruyne’s unbelievable decade of service to the Membership by commissioning a particular statue celebrating the midfielder’s magnificent Etihad profession 👑
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) May 20, 2025
“It means I’ll all the time be a part of this membership,” De Bruyne mentioned of that honour.
“I all the time signify a small piece of that and at any time when I come again with these guys and with household and associates I can see myself standing across the stadium. I’ll all the time be right here.
“I believe one of the best ways to explain my life with my spouse and my three children is we’ve slot in completely. We perceive the place the membership has come to and why the membership means rather a lot to lots of people.
“Collectively we’ve constructed a giant future for you guys, for the membership to carry out the way in which this membership will carry out. I do know this has been a little bit of a tricky 12 months for us however I believe the staff deserves all of the assist from you guys.
“I do know they’re pushing actually laborious and this staff can be again subsequent 12 months pushing for all of the titles, so that they deserve this.
“I believe after 10 years it was about time any individual let me speak a bit and it’s time to say goodbye. I can be again however we love you and see you quickly.”
