The Belgian midfielder says it means “I will always be here”
Manchester City have announced plans to honour club legend Kevin De Bruyne with a statue at the Etihad Stadium, after his exceptional decade-long contribution to the club’s golden era.
The announcement came shortly after City’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth, which marked De Bruyne’s final home appearance in a sky-blue shirt. The match, charged with emotion and celebration, saw the 33-year-old bid farewell to the Etihad crowd after ten years of top-level performance. The period saw him feature in over 400 games for City and help the club win 19 major trophies.
De Bruyne received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 69th minute with City leading 2-0 and one man down after Matteo Kovacic was red-carded. After the game, City players tossed him in the air in celebration.
The statue announcement places De Bruyne among an elite group of City icons already immortalised outside the stadium. He will join former captain Vincent Kompany and playmaker David Silva, whose statues were unveiled in 2021. The club’s all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero, whose famous last-minute strike in 2012 won City the Premier League title ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson’s United, was also honoured with a statue in 2022.
The three players were at the centre of the squad that laid the foundation for the modern era of success at Manchester City. Placing De Bruyne in that rank is a formal acknowledgement of the contributions he has made to City’s history.
Reacting to the announcement on Matchday Live, the Belgium international said: “It means I will always be part of this club.
“Whenever I come back with family and friends, I will be able to see myself so I will always be here.”
