Friday June 18, 2021
De Bruyne, the Belgian power
The biggest phenomenon in European football
By Tobias Nordmann
The Italians submitted, the Belgians followed suit: The “Diables Rouges” are the second team to qualify for the second round in the European Football Championship. The win against Denmark shows how much the team’s success depends on Kevin de Bruyne.
The thing with the Belgian national soccer team is actually quite simple: Without Kevin de Bruyne, the “Diables Rouges” are a team that will be able to successfully compete in this European soccer championship for a few more days. With Kevin de Bruyne, the “Diables Rouges” are a team that can presumably participate until the last day of this tournament. In short: with Kevin de Bruyne, Belgium is a different team. A favorite track. A top favorite. Next to the remarkable Italians, next to the (still) reserved French.
There are always games in which the subjunctive creates bad emotions. You then say to yourself: Oh, what would have happened if …! Well, the second round match between the Belgians and Denmark (2: 1) didn’t need to use this subjunctive. Kevin de Bruyne was not on the field in the first half. He was substituted on in the second half. In the first half, Denmark, emotionally brutally charged by the 25,000 spectators in the home arena in Copenhagen and emotionally still brutally touched after the collapse drama about playmaker Christian Eriksen (he is luckily better) from the opening game, was clearly better. Thoughtful. After 99 seconds, the team even took the lead. By Yussuf Poulsen from Leipzig. Aided by a very sloppy pass from Belgium defender Jason Denayer.
During the break, coach Roberto Martinez converted his “Diables Rouges”. And one measure is enough to change everything on the pitch. Kevin de Bruyne came on for Dries Mertens. First noteworthy action: In the 54th minute, he accepted a pass from Romelu Lukaku, who sprinted outstandingly forward, a good twelve meters in front of the goal, he did not shoot, no, he stroked the ball with the sole at full speed, put it in front of him perfectly . Again he didn’t shoot, no, he played the ball across the six-yard area, where Thorgan Hazard was, shot, goal 1: 1. At ZDF, Christoph Kramer from Gladbach was amazed in his role as an expert: “99 out of 100 players don’t do it that way.” One does. Kevin De Bruyne. You don’t have to be a fan of this player to find it fascinating.
He shapes the game like no other
Like his club Manchester City, the national team listens to the 29-year-old. He doesn’t even have to give loud commands to do this. His movements, his paths set the rhythm. If he creates depth with his runs, his teams become dangerous. If he ensures width, his teams can hardly be separated from the ball. This applies even more to the Citizens than to the “Diables Rouges”. What in turn unites both teams: Regardless of where his teammates pass the passes on the field, they always have an eye for their metronome. When it starts, the team triggers the action. A futile journey? No. Probably no player in top European football shapes his teams as much as Kevin de Bruyne. Maybe Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona? How perfectly the Belgians can stage their superstar at the end of the season, they demonstrated with the winning goal. The ball ran over Lukuku, Youri Tielemans and the Hazard brothers in perfect short and one-two harmony through to de Bruyne, who pulls off the edge of the box as tough and well-placed. This scene was worthy of a world number one.
Yes, these Belgians …, oh, somehow you can’t hear it anymore either. The stories of the “golden generation”, of the eternal secret favorite. All of this is long out of date. If this team wants to finally win a title with its gifted talent, then now. Players like de Bruyne, like the brothers Thorgan and Eden Hazard (well, he still has room for improvement after his numerous injuries) don’t get better. Lukaku is also in the best shape of his career at the moment. One more tournament cycle and one more until the longed-for title, this team can probably no longer afford that. The traces of age can already be seen in the defense. Jan Vertonghen is already 34, Toby Alderweireld 32. Both have lost a lot of their speed. Young alternatives at the top level are currently not available. Denayer is only 25, but not (yet) the man who is the new big hope for defense chief.
For de Bruyne in particular, a major international title would be the reward for his outstanding achievements for years, which have always kept him in the focus of “world footballer”. With City he has just experienced a terrible disappointment. In the final of the Champions League, Manchester lost 1-0 to Chelsea, the winning goal was scored by Germany’s top talent Kai Havertz (42nd). It was a final for the Belgian that caused not only psychological pain, but also physical pain. After a collision with the shoulder of Antonio Rüdiger (also a German national player), de Bruyne could not continue, he broke his eye socket and broken nose. He had an operation and missed the start of the European Championship against Russia, which had already turned out to be impressive with a 3-0 win for the “Diables Rouges”. However, the Russians were also a very weak opponent.
Now de Bruyne is there. And Belgium even better. Another team. A favorite track. A top favorite.
.