382-cap Manchester City star discusses international retirement fears ahead of Euro crisis clash

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne has discussed his future with the Belgium national team ahead of the final group stage match.

The 32-year-old is expected to captain Belgium in their final European Championship group game on Wednesday night, with Domenico Tedesco’s side needing a win over Ukraine in Stuttgart to secure a place in the last 16 of the tournament .

Belgium bounced back from a shock defeat to Slovakia with a 2-0 win over Romania on Saturday, with De Bruyne securing victory in the 80th minute with a crucial goal.

De Bruyne made his 103rd appearance and scored his 28th goal for Belgium in Cologne at the weekend, although the midfielder turns 33 this month and could compete in his final international tournament this summer .

The midfielder has been with Manchester City since 2015 and could begin his 10th campaign with the Sky Blues in August if De Bruyne remains at the Etihad Stadium for the 2024/25 campaign.

De Bruyne has been linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia after completing the final 12 months of his current contract with City and made just 26 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side last season.

The Belgian underwent surgery on a recurring hamstring problem in August, forcing the 32-year-old to miss the first six months of the campaign.

However, De Bruyne recorded 24 direct involvements in the goals in 26 appearances, still helping to propel the Sky Blues to a fourth successive Premier League title and De’s 16th major trophy Bruyne at the club.

The European Championship could be De Bruyne’s last international tournament, with the next FIFA World Cup taking place in 2026 and the next Euros taking place in 2028.

The 32-year-old remained tight-lipped about his plans, saying: “I haven’t really thought about whether this is the end of my international career. I don’t like to think about when I will retire or my future.

“I haven’t decided when I will finish and I don’t know if this is my last (Euro). I’ve been playing in this team for 10 years and I have a lot of knowledge to pass on to the younger players, but honestly, I haven’t decided when I’m going to finish.”

De Bruyne’s club future is also up for discussion this summer, with the potential for Manchester City to offer the 32-year-old a new deal at the Etihad Stadium.