De Bruyne has earned more than 110 international appearances and scored more than 30 goals since making his senior debut in 2010. His Belgium career includes quarter-final runs at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, followed by a key role in the team’s third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup.
His influence goes beyond goals and assists. De Bruyne’s vision, passing range and ability to dictate the speed of a match give Belgium a player capable of changing a game with one decision. The captain’s responsibility will be especially important as a talented generation seeks one more major tournament run.
De Bruyne’s route to the top included spells in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and England. After emerging at Genk and rebuilding his reputation with Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg, he joined Manchester City in 2015.
Across a decade in Manchester, he helped turn City into a dominant force, winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and five League Cups. His combination of technical quality and competitive edge made him one of the defining midfielders of his generation.
De Bruyne also brings a broad cultural background to the role. He speaks Dutch, English, French and German, while his family history connects Belgium with Burundi and England.
Away from football, his relationship with Michèle Lacroix has been a source of stability. The couple have been together since 2014, married in 2017 and have three children. Speaking about his wife, De Bruyne said: “Ela mudou minha vida de tantas maneiras. Honestamente, eu não sei o que faria sem ela.”
The next storyline will be whether De Bruyne can turn that experience and authority into Belgium’s deepest World Cup run yet.