Kevin De Bruyne revealed he played against Italy with ankle ligament damage as Belgium crashed out of UEFA Euro 2020.
Kevin De Bruyne’s importance can never be questioned whether he is playing for his country or club. The Belgian midfielder has now revealed tha he played through ankle ligament all through the Italy game, while speaking to UEFA’s official website (h/t Goal.com). The Manchester City superstar also said that it was a miracle he could be on the pitch but still played a fair amount of time.
Belgium suffered yet another big tournament heartbreak after crashing out of the Euros at the hands of Italy. First-half goals from Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne were enough to seal progression for the Italians. Belgium got a goal back at the end of the first period through a Romelu Lukaku penalty.
Kevin De Bruyne, at times, tried to make darting runs with the ball as well as create chances for his teammates, but in the end, he failed to inspire his side to a comeback. After suffering an injury against Portugal in the last game, De Bruyne wasn’t even expected to play against Italy. He defied all odds to start the game despite carrying a bad injury.
Speaking to UEFA.com (h/t Goal.com) after the game, the Manchester City star said, “For me personally, it has been four or five weird weeks. But I especially want to thank the medical staff. It was a miracle that I played today because there was definitely damage to my ankle. A tear in my ligaments. But I felt a responsibility to play for my country today. Too bad I couldn’t do more.”
Kevin De Bruyne played a full 90 minutes with a tear in his ankle ligaments yesterday.
"I felt responsibility to play for my country."
Warrior ? ?? pic.twitter.com/ICDpwd5HPD
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 3, 2021
However, more than anything, De Bruyne was disappointed at his country’s exit from the tournament. He was proud of the team’s effort though, suggesting his team gave everything on the pitch during the game. He said, “I think we tried everything to win that match.
“They scored a fantastic goal, but the first one may have been a mistake on our part. They had more possession, and the ball didn’t go in for us, which is a shame. Getting eliminated is always a disappointment.”
That said, most of the fans would have suspected De Bruyne not being fully fit, given his surprise inclusion in the starting lineup. However, the midfielder put his nation before himself and would have made his supporters proud of him.
However, the concern regarding his injury remains, as Manchester City and their fans will now be anxious to see how serious it could be. Playing the game of that intensity through injury always ran the risk of aggravating the condition. And the City fans will be hoping the coming days will allow him to get the rest needed and he is ready for next season.
