Ange Postecoglou has made an interesting claim about one Manchester City player in particular.
Having been a manager for 28 years, the Tottenham Hotspur boss has dealt with hundreds of players in his career.
Postecoglou has managed teams in various countries like Australia, Greece, Japan, Scotland and England while also coaching the Australian national teams at Under-17, Under-20 and senior levels.
The 58-year-old has seen his side go toe-to-toe with Manchester City’s plethora of superstars like Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Rodri to name a few.
Ange Postecoglou makes interesting Kevin De Bruyne claim
Playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world and being key men for their countries, City’s players are expected to deliver at the European Championship.
The highs are certainly high when such a high-profile player steps up to the plate — as evidenced by De Bruyne’s animated celebration after doubling Belgium’s lead during their latest 2-0 win against Romania.
But the lows are as low as possible in the world of football — with the £54.5 million man looking visibly distraught after Domenico Tedesco’s men lost 1-0 to Slovakia in their opening game of Euro 2024.
When assessing how England’s players have hit back at their recent criticism since the beginning of the tournament, Ange Postecoglou urged them to go out onto the pitch and make a statement like he feels De Bruyne was always intending to against Romania.
On ITV Sport, he said: “I’d rather they went out tonight and proved people wrong, just make a statement, play, you know? What Declan [Rice] said there at the end is perfect: go out there and make [a statement], you’ve seen already, [Kevin] De Bruyne, he went out there to make a statement. [Luka] Modric, he went out there [against Italy] to make a statement.”
“That’s what this platform’s all about.”
Kevin De Bruyne will need to replicate this attitude into Belgium’s clash against Ukraine
It will be interesting to discover whether De Bruyne, as Ange Postecoglou stated, will be raring to send a statement with his display for Belgium against Ukraine.
The Belgians certainly have talent at their disposal — with players like Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku and Youri Tielemans all having competed at the highest level in their careers.
However, the 32-year-old is his country’s captain and best player — with all eyes on him to emerge as Belgium’s difference-maker time and again.
Ukraine will be determined to get a result, which could confirm their spot in the Round of 16 of the competition.
De Bruyne has the experience and quality to decide the game in the Belgians’ favour.
But the likeliness of the midfield maestro doing so will increase if he is fired up to show the world why he and his team are one of the best in the world.
Only time will tell whether De Bruyne and Co. will get the all-important three points.
