Kevin De Bruyne admits to being a Liverpool fan and selected one ex-Reds player he admired.
Kevin De Bruyne has become a Manchester City star after leading the team to an unprecedented treble, but rediscovered evidence shows that he actually supported a Premier League rival as a child.
Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City once admitted that he was a lifelong Liverpool supporter who idolised Michael Owen.
The Belgian playmaker has etched his name in Etihad Stadium folklore. He has played a crucial role in an extraordinary spell of success after joining from Wolfsburg for a then club record £55 million in the summer of 2015.
He has five Premier League crowns, the Champions League, five League Cups, and two FA Cups to his name, as well as being a part of the club's historic treble. Despite being a famous player in Manchester, De Bruyne formerly supported erstwhile championship rivals Liverpool.
"My favourite club is Liverpool, and my favourite player is Michael Owen," an 11-year-old De Bruyne confessed in old film footage from his time at Genk. "And I would love to play there one day."
While De Bruyne first admitted his Reds devotion when he was a child, he has recently doubled down on the claim. In 2019, he told Match of the Day magazine, "I was a Liverpool fan."
"My family in England were all Liverpool fans, so I was as well." I admired Michael Owen because I was little and swift like him.
"At the time, I compared myself to him. I also admired [Zinedine] Zidane and Ronaldinho, two very talented players."
Despite being a Reds fan, De Bruyne has been known to lash out at the Merseyside team on numerous occasions. He has made 17 career appearances versus the Reds in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing eight assists.
He has scored in four of Liverpool's past six Premier League games. De Bruyne was also instrumental in Man City narrowly defeating Liverpool to win the Premier League title in both 2019 and 2022.
The playmaker may be pleased to learn that he has been hailed by his childhood idol, with Owen naming De Bruyne as one of the best Premier League passers of all time. "De Bruyne, Scholes, Giggs, and Beckham would be my order," the ex-striker stated.
"Scholesy was a visionary. He could not only play the ball, but he also had excellent vision. Giggs didn't have the long-range ping that Beckham or Scholes had, but he had incredible vision. Excellent eyesight."
De Bruyne will play against Liverpool in the Premier League next season. The reigning champions will host the Reds at the Etihad Stadium in November, followed by a rematch at Anfield in March.
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