382-appearance Manchester City star discusses international retirement fears ahead of crunch Euro clash | OneFootball

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

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

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

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

The midfielder has been at Manchester City since 2015, and could embark on his 10th campaign with the Sky Blues in August, should De Bruyne remain at the Etihad Stadium for the 2024/25 campaign.

De Bruyne has been linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia after the entering the final 12-months of current City contract, and making just 26 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side during the recent season.

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

De Bruyne registered 24 direct goal involvements in 26 showings however, helping propel the Sky Blues to a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title, and De Bruyne’s 16th major trophy at the club.

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

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

“I have not decided when I’m going to finish and I don’t know if this is my last one [Euros]. 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 have not decided when I’m going to finish.”

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