Belgium Head Coach Explains Why He Dropped Kevin de Bruyne

The head coach of Belgium national football team, Domenico Tedesco, said Manchester City midfieder, Kevin de Bruyne had to be dropped from the country’s team for precautionary reason.

Kevin de Bruyne has been battling with different degrees of injury issues since the beginning of the 2023-2024 season.

Due to the injury issues, the 32-year-old midfieder has managed to play just 14 times in all competitions for Manchester City so far this season and still able to provide 13 assists and scored two goals for the club.

Though he has been able to make a couple of appearances for Manchester City in 2024, his coach at Belgium national team believes it would be a risk if he is invited for the friendly games against the Republic of Ireland on March 23 and against England on March 26.

“I don’t know if there is a connection with his hamstring injury (but) now concerns a problem with the groin that he has been struggling with in recent matches,” the Belgium head coach said.

“Yesterday I spoke with the doctor and Kevin and we decided that the risk is too great. It is our responsibility to take into account the player, but also the player’s team. It must make sense to call up a player. If he cannot play or train, it is our responsibility to protect him.

”It’s better to give him time to recover well at City and then have him ready for the European Championship. We can’t take any risks now, especially not with Kevin.”

Below is Belgium Full Squad for the friendly games against Ireland and England:

Goalkeepers: Arnaud Bodart, Koen Casteels, Thomas Kaminski, Matz Sels

Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Timothy Castagne, Koni De Winter, Zeno Debast, Wout Faes, Thomas Meunier, Arthur Theate.

Midfielders: Olivier Deman, Dodi Lukebakio, Orel Mangala, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, Arthur Vermeeren, Aster Vranckx, Jeremy Doku.

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko, Michy Batshuayi, Charles De Ketelaere, Romelu Lukaku, Loïs Openda, Leandro Trossard.