Kevin De Bruyne angrily exited a presser after he was asked a “stupid” question by an Italian journalist.
Kevin De Bruyne looked unhappy as he answered questions posed to him by journalists in the mixed zone at the Düsseldorf Arena.
He was questioned on the reason why Belgium’s seeming golden generation has failed to live up to the billing and that didn’t go down well with him.
France Vs Belgium
The Reds were dumped out of the 2024 European Championship by France in the last 16, following an own goal by defender Jan Vertonghen.
It was a combative encounter with France on the front foot on many occasions but Didier Deschamps’ side’s inability to convert the chances they created made the game end in a respectable manner.
Belgian also had some opportunities to punish the 2018 FIFA World Cup champions, but they also fluffed the little chances they saw.
Kevin De Bruyne’s Performance Against France
Kevin De Bruyne was found wanting on many occasions, as he did not pose real threat to the defensive line of Les Blues nor thread many dangerous balls that could hurt their opossum.
What Next For France and Belgium?
They turn their attention to the UEFA Nations League, where they will play against France, Israel, and Italy in Group A.
Moreover, their matches against these nations will take place between September and November 2024.
For France, they battle Portugal in the last 8 (Quarter-finals) on Friday, July 5, 2024, as they aim to clinch the 2024 European Championship title.
Belguim’s Golden Generation
Meanwhile, De Bruyne has been a member of a Belgian squad labeled as the “golden generation” due to the litany of world-class players at their disposal.
This pool of footballers are already in several phases of their careers, with some past their prime and others nearing retirement.
Chelsea great Eden Hazard was part of the golden generation, but he hung up at the end of the 2022/23 season.
Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois, Dries Mertens, and Axel Witsel alongside several other star names have also at some point been members of this golden group.
Their best achievement has been finishing 3rd at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, defeating England 2-0 in the third-place play-off.
Belgium also finished as fourth best in the 2021 UEFA Nations League, losing 2-1 to Italy in the third-place play-off.
Several football enthusiasts have over the years been expecting more from this setup, with many even including them amongst the favorites in tournaments they are competing in.
However, the Red Devils have often failed to meet up to the lofty expectations heaped on them.
Roberto Martinez, who is the current boss of Portugal, handled Belgium between 2016 and 2022, but his time at the helm of the nation was underwhelming.
Domenico Tedesco was also appointed boss of the country in 2023 and thus far there isn’t huge optimism that they can achieve success in the coming years.
In the European Championship, Belgium crashed out at the quarter-final phase of Euro 2016 and Euro 2020 despite being tipped by many as one nation that could go all the way to achieve glory.
Why Did Kevin De Bruyne Mutter The Word “Stupid”?
Kevin De Bruyne was basically asked to explain the reason for their frailties in recent years, but he fumed away from the presser displeased by the question.
It is unknown if the word “stupid” which he muttered under his breath was directed at the journalist or the question.
Italian Journalist Tancredi Palmeri Fires Back At Kevin De Bruyne
Apparently, the question was asked by journalist Tancredi Palmeri and the Italian also had a go at De Bruyne, terming the footballer a “spoiled brat”.
His comments on X (formerly known as Twitter) reads: “Ahah DeBruyne just called me stupid. Hey Kevin, little memo for you: the golden generation you mentioned of France, England, Germany, and Spain they ALL REACHED A FINAL!
“Usual footballer that wants only question telling him how good they are. Spoiled brat.”
Kevin De Bruyne Stats
Kevin De Bruyne, 33, has made 105 appearances for Belgium, scoring 28 goals and providing 49 assists.
He has also made 611 club appearances thus far in his career, scoring 149 goals and providing 254 assists in all competitions.
Kevin De Bruyne’s Future With Belgium
Additionally, De Bruyne was asked about his future with the national team of Belgium and he said:
“It’s too early to answer. Let me process this loss. It’s a been a very long season, I need to rest my body. I will make my decision after the summer”.
