In what may have been his final appearance at the Etihad Stadium, Kevin De Bruyne delivered a performance befitting his legendary status at Manchester City, leaving fans both cheering and tearful as he walked off the pitch for possibly the last time.
City secured a 3-1 win over Bournemouth, with goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva, and Nico González ensuring a triumphant farewell for their captain. The victory lifted City to third place in the Premier League (68 points), two points clear of Newcastle, Chelsea, and Aston Villa with just one match remaining.
The game saw both teams reduced to 10 men Mateo Kovačić dismissed in the 67th minute, followed by Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook six minutes later. But the real story was Kevin De Bruyne emotional exit in the 69th minute, met with a thunderous standing ovation from the Etihad faithful.
Kevin De Bruyne
Since arriving in 2015, Kevin De Bruyne has been the heartbeat of Manchester City’s golden era, winning 16 trophies including six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League. His name now sits among the club’s greatest icons, immortalized in a mural alongside Yaya Touré, David Silva, Sergio Agüero, and Vincent Kompany.
Despite a rare missed chance a close-range shot that rattled the crossbar De Bruyne’s influence remained undeniable. “I thought the ball would come perfectly, but it was terrible,” he joked. “My son will grill me about that one later!”
The 33-year-old maestro admitted surprise at not being offered a new contract, yet he remains confident he can still compete at the highest level. Injuries have hampered him in recent years, but his class endures.
As the stadium screens played a tribute video titled ‘King Kev’, Kevin De Bruyne lingered on the pitch, waving to fans in what felt like a final goodbye.