Kevin De Bruyne, with a straight face, admits his team needs fans despite having a cold faceoff with them after Ukraine game

Kevin De Bruyne and his teammates were booed as they were approaching the fans, to applaud them for their support.

Kevin De Bruyne, with a straight face, admits his team needs fans despite having a cold faceoff with them after Ukraine game

Kevin De Bruyne on fan support (Images via Imago, X)

Belgium skipper Kevin De Bruyne exclaimed that the national team would need support from its fans, despite an altercation between him and the fans following their match in Stuttgart. The fans had booed off the players after a goalless draw against Ukraine.

Belgium booked their place in the knock-out stages of the 2024 Euros, but it came after another very underwhelming performance on the final night of group-stage action. They managed to earn a meager four points out of their three matches, winning just one of the games with just two goals scored. Despite advancing to the last 16, Belgian fans were furious, expressing their discontent with boos and whistles at the end of the match.

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Captain Kevin De Bruyne was unimpressed by the fans’ reaction and urged his teammates to head to the dressing room. However, the Manchester City star stressed on the crucial role of fan support while speaking to reporters after the match. He pointed out that the team would need the support, especially in the upcoming match against France. He also explained that the team took fewer risks to avoid conceding a goal against Ukraine, which could have led to their elimination from the tournament.

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We just need them. I don't know what else to say. We just need the fans. We'll need them against France. We needed them in the last three games. That's it.
Kevin De Bruyne on Belgian fans (via DailyMotion)

Additionally, he agreed that the team failed to capitalize on early goal-scoring opportunities, against Ukraine. Belgium head coach Domenico Tedesco was also surprised by the fans’ reaction, urging them to stick with the team.

Kevin De Bruyne shows resurgence by winning back-to-back Man of the Match awards at the 2024 Euros

There were repeated concerns over Belgian skipper Kevin De Bruyne’s form after his poor performance in their 2024 Euro defeat against Slovakia. However, those concerns have been dispelled as the Manchester City star secured two consecutive Man of the Match awards.

Kevin De Bruyne Man of the Match awards
Kevin De Bruyne won two back-to-back Man of the Match awards at the Euros. (via IMAGO)

The 32-year old displayed brilliance as Belgium went on to register a 2-0 win against Romania, and a draw against Ukraine, on match-days two and three. In the match against Romania, he scored their second goal, had three shots on target, completed three successful dribbles, and won 12 duels. Against Ukraine, he recorded 89 touches, four key passes and four accurate long balls.

His impressive statistics garnered praise from both fans and the manager, with expectations high for him to maintain his performance in the knockout stages. Belgium is set to face France in the Round of 16.

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