Kevin De Bruyne to miss Belgium’s Nations League fixtures as he seeks time off to recover

BRUSSELS — Belgium’s star captain Kevin De Bruyne will miss his country’s upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Italy and France, as coach Domenico Tedesco announced the squad during a press conference on Friday for the October fixtures. The midfielder has also requested additional time off from the national team to manage his workload.

In a lengthy phone conversation, De Bruyne reiterated his commitment to the Belgian national team and his desire to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite some uncertainty surrounding his international future after Belgium’s 2-0 defeat to France in September — during which De Bruyne questioned the mentality and ability of his teammates — Tedesco confirmed the player’s motivation to continue with the Red Devils.

“I had a long phone conversation with Kevin. He has an injury, but he is very motivated to continue with the Red Devils and to play the World Cup in 2026,” Tedesco said in a press conference. “He has asked to skip this camp and also November, to be able to take care of his body. The schedule has become even busier due to the Club World Cup. But when it really counts – the World Cup – he will be there.”

De Bruyne, who has been sidelined since suffering a muscular injury while playing for Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan in June, has already missed the English champions’ last four games. City manager Pep Guardiola had previously indicated that the 33-year-old would not return to action until after the upcoming international break.

The coach also addressed De Bruyne’s post-match remarks in Lyon, explaining that the player’s emotional response came from his competitive drive and desire to win, but clarified that it had not caused any significant issues within the squad. “Kevin is a big player, but also a big personality. He was emotional, but he never mentioned names in the media. We just have to deal with it,” Tedesco added.

Belgium is set to face Italy in Rome on Thursday, followed by a clash against France in Brussels on October 14. De Bruyne will miss both matches as he focuses on his recovery. Additionally, Tedesco revealed that De Bruyne has asked to sit out the November Nations League matches against Italy and Israel, as the player seeks to carefully manage his fitness amid a hectic football calendar that includes the Club World Cup.

Belgium, hoping to secure a spot in the Nations League final, will also be without Romelu Lukaku. The Napoli striker, who missed last month’s matches while finalising his transfer from Chelsea, has not been recalled despite scoring twice in Serie A since his return to action.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al Qadsiah), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Maarten Vandevoordt (RB Leipzig)

Defenders: Sebastiaan Bornauw (VfL Wolfsburg), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Koni De Winter (Genoa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Matte Smets (Racing Genk), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Arne Engels (FC Augsburg), Orel Mangala (Olympique Lyonnais), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Malick Fofana (Olympique Lyonnais), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig) Cyril Ngonge (Napoli), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).