7 Interesting Facts About Kevin De Bruyne.

Full name: Kevin De Bruyne

Date of birth: 28 June 1991 (age 32)

Place of birth: Drongen, Belgium

Height: 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)

Position: Midfielder

Current team: Manchester City

Unquestionably, Kevin De Bruyne is considered one of the greatest attacking midfielders in world football. Since arriving at Manchester City in the summer of 2015 for a then £55 million club record fee, the Belgian has become not only a vital component of Pep Guardiola's title-winning sides but has also established himself as a Premier League legend in waiting.

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De Bruyne possesses a vast skill set - including long-range shooting, crossing, and accurate passing. But when it comes to possessing an immense vision to find his teammates - he has taken the 'art of assisting' to a new level. So apart from this grace and poise on the football pitch, what else is there to learn about the Belgian's past, personal life, and career?

Here are 7 Interesting Facts About Kevin De Bruyne:

• He Could Have Played For Burundi

• He Is A Liverpool Fan

• He Almost Signed For Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund

• He Likes Birdwatching!

• He Has His Own Book And Clothing Brand

• He Has Just One Nickname

• His Assist Stats Are Even Better Than You Think

1. He Could Have Played For Burundi

Kevin De Bruyne was born in Drongen, a district of Genk in Belgium as was his Father, his mother originates from the small East African country of Burundi. This technically makes him eligible to feature for the little-known region’s national team. Of course, he would eventually choose to play for Belgium, alongside a host of generational talents including Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, and Vincent Kompany.

De Bruyne has represented 'The Red Devils' at every level, including the under 16’s, 17's, and 19's, appearing 19 times in total and scoring twice - before debuting for the senior squad in 2010.

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2. He Is A Liverpool Fan

It's mainly thanks to his Grandfather's love of Liverpool that De Bruyne would grow up supporting the Merseyside club. The young Belgian was also in awe of a certain legendary Anfield striker. "My favourite club is Liverpool," an eleven-year-old De Bruyne revealed in an interview as a Genk academy player. "And my favourite player is Michael Owen. I would love to play there one day."

UK newspaper The Guardian later claimed that De Bruyne "slept in Liverpool bed linen, wore their tracksuit and described Owen's replica shirt as the 'pride of his collection.'"

3. He Almost Signed For Klopp’s Dortmund

De Bruyne moved to Chelsea in 2012 but was immediately loaned back to his former club Genk and then sent out on a successful loan spell to Werder Bremen for the 2012/13 season. At the end of that campaign, an opportunity arose to join Jürgen Klopp and his emerging Borussia Dortmund side. The German club's creative playmaker Mario Gotze had recently departed for Bayern Munich, and a replacement was needed.

De Bruyne was rumoured to be their first choice, and having even agreed personal terms with Dortmund, he looked ready to leave Stamford Bridge. That was until Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho intervened to block the move. "He convinced me to stay," De Bruyne wrote in his autobiography, Keep It Simple. "I have to admit I barely challenged him." De Bruyne would stay in London but a lacklustre debut season saw him appear only three times without scoring a single goal.

4. He Likes Birdwatching!

Kevin De Bruyne breaks many of the stereotypes you might expect of a 21st-century professional footballer. Rather than indulging in a celebrity lifestyle like many other Premier League stars, the Belgian instead spends much of his free time walking in the countryside and observing wildlife!

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More specifically, De Bruyne has a passion for birdwatching and is an avid conservationist and an ambassador to the world's largest bird sanctuary in Walsrode, Germany. "I hope I can help the plight of endangered species of birds," De Bruyne explained back in 2014. "And that I can bring more attention through my sponsorship."

5. He Has His Own Book and Clothing Brand

De Bruyne has a biography, written in 2014 called "Keep It Simple," which he contributed to the writing of. The book provides a detailed account of both his professional and personal life, with one highlight explaining how he became an Ambassador for the Special Olympics. The Belgian also owns a clothing range called KDB and is somewhat of a fashion icon on Social media.

6. He Has Just One Nickname

Footballers are usually given a variety of nicknames throughout their careers and yet De Bruyne has just one. Amongst close friends, the Belgian's nickname is 'Tumble Dryer' due to his very dry manner when chatting via WhatsApp messages. "I get called Tumble Dryer," De Bruyne reveals. "Because whenever people text…I always reply with like two words."

7. His Assist Stats Are Even Better Than You Think

It's no secret that De Bruyne is probably the most prolific assist provider in recent Premier League history. But the numbers he's been producing over the last few campaigns are beginning to set new standards.

Despite only playing in England for seven seasons, he is already 5th on the all-time Premier League assists list and within a season or so is likely to climb up to second place - although he's some way behind Ryan Giggs on 162 assists.

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The Belgian also has the best ‘minutes to assist ratio’ in Premier League history so far - providing a goal once every 186 minutes. Even with impressive stats of their own, Arsenal's Jose Antonio Reyes (214 minutes) and Man City's Leroy Sane (217 minutes) are somewhat behind him. De Bruyne has also equalled the record number of assists for a single season, racking up 20 assists during Man City's 2019/20 campaign, a feat matched only by Theirry Henry in 2002/03. As things stand, De Bruyne is valued at €70m by Transfermarkt.

Kevin De Bruyne Major Honours

Genk

• Belgian Pro League: 2010–11

• Belgian Cup: 2008–09

• Belgian Super Cup: 2011

VfL Wolfsburg

• DFB-Pokal: 2014–15

• DFL-Supercup: 2015

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23

• FA Cup: 2018–19, 2022–23

• Football League/EFL Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21

• FA Community Shield: 2019

• UEFA Champions League: 2022–23

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