Kevin De Bruyne has been spotted with his wife looking glum on a visit to a Belgian charity centre, just hours after the Manchester City star promised to ‘quit’ the national team.
The 33-year-old’s extraordinary outburst took place in the aftermath of a lacklustre 2-0 defeat at the hands of France, where goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele provided the difference in Lyon.
Shortly after the final whistle, De Bruyne went up to technical director Frank Vercauteren and seemed to make clear his desire to ‘quit’, before heading over to chat with France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe.
In a brutal post-match interview, the midfielder then accused team-mates of ‘not doing their job’ and being ‘not good enough’ for international football.
Now an ashen-faced De Bruyne has stepped back into the public eye to visit Ronald McDonald House, a centre which provides care for family members of sick children, with wife Michèle Lacroix, HLN reports.
Kevin De Bruyne has been spotted with his wife looking glum on a visit to a Belgian charity centre
An ashen-faced De Bruyne has stepped back into the public eye to visit Ronald McDonald House
Kevin De Bruyne’s Belgium career is on the rocks after an extraordinary post-match outburst
Asked about the night before, the Belgian said: ‘This is not the place to talk about football.
‘We are happy to be here. Given our busy schedule it was not easy but we made the commitment to this group and that is why we wanted to be here.
‘We are also happy that we can do this, the organisation deserves this.’
The majority of the side travelled straight back to their clubs after the galling defeat but De Bruyne headed to Jette to visit the charity, having landed in Brussels at 3am.
The couple have been supporting the Ronald McDonald Children’s Fund for a while and they were visiting the centre on the day of its fifth anniversary.
De Bruyne is believed to have given a speech about his sponsorship of the foundation.
The visit comes after a tantrum which has thrown his future in Domenico Tedesco’s team up in the air.
He told the media on Monday night: ‘We were six at the back.
De Bruyne went up to technical director Frank Vercauteren (right) and seemed to make clear his desire to ‘quit’, before heading over to France and Real Madrid man Kylian Mbappe (centre)
The blowup took place in the aftermath of Belgium’s lacklustre 2-0 loss to France on Monday
The couple have been supporting the Ronald McDonald Children’s Fund for a while
De Bruyne is believed to have given a speech about his sponsorship of the foundation
‘There was no connection. Not even in the second half. You’re behind, right?
‘I wonder what you see in the match. It is not about transitions. It is about the way of playing and people who do not do their job.’
Asked what might need to be improved, De Bruyne gave a brutal response which branded certain aspects of the performance ‘unacceptable’.
He said: ‘It has to be better in every way. The standard is the top. If you can’t handle the top, you’re not good enough.
‘And then you have to give everything on the field. Even that is not done by some.
‘I can accept that we are not that good. I am also the first to say that in the past.
‘But other things are unacceptable. I am not going to dwell on it. I did that when I was eighteen at Racing Genk. Now I am 33 and I don’t do that anymore.’
The rift within the camp only grew when Tedesco answered questions from reporters, with the coach urging his captain to ‘calm down’.
An exasperated Belgium captain faced the media and did not hold back last night
The midfielder has been one of Belgium’s leading lights during a so-called Golden Generation which has fallen short in every major tournament including the 2018 World Cup (pictured)
Belgium head coach Domenico Tedesco said: ‘Am I afraid that he’s going to stop playing international? You shouldn’t talk about that now. Everyone needs to calm down’
Belgium’s next match is a huge clash in the Nations League against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico
The midfielder has been one of Belgium’s leading lights during a so-called Golden Generation which has slowly lost its lustre, with the nation failing to make a single major final in that time.
Boasting 107 caps over a 14-year spell representing his country, De Bruyne’s loyalty has thus far been unwavering. Indeed, he was the only member of that group of players, who once promised so much, playing in France on Monday.
Belgium’s next match is a huge clash in the Nations League against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in exactly a month’s time – it remains to be seen whether one of the country’s all-time greats will be leading his side out that night.
