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Belgium will take on Egypt in its opening group stage match of the World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne shared his thoughts on this fixture in an interview with the media.
How crucial is the opening goal? How do you strike a balance between actively seeking scoring chances and staying patient to wait for gaps?
From my experience competing in major tournaments, opening matches are always tough. Everyone is filled with excitement at the start of a new campaign. Looking back at my previous three World Cups, we have never had an easy start or a smooth first half. Therefore, we can adopt a relatively steady defensive approach in the early stages and wait patiently for opportunities to emerge.
We are fully aware that Egypt is no easy opponent. They boast intense physical confrontation, which will make it difficult for us to create plenty of attacking space. We will make thorough preparations and look forward to seizing scoring chances when they come.
Having achieved numerous feats at both club and international level, what does this World Cup mean to you?
I see it as a very special journey. At this stage of my career, I am better able to enjoy the tournament itself. When I was younger, I only focused on playing football and paid little attention to things off the pitch. Now I can deeply understand what it means to represent my country. This is also my fourth World Cup.
It is a great honour to still be here after nearly 16 years serving the Belgium national team, which shows I have delivered solid performances over the years. I hope to play well and give my all for Belgium. This may well be the last time I represent Belgium at the World Cup.
Many feel that you are in better physical and mental shape ahead of this tournament than in the previous two major competitions. Is this true?
I was actually in good form during the European Championship, while the 2022 World Cup was a rather chaotic experience for me. Are you referring to the pre-tournament preparation? If so, the answer is yes. Back in 2022, we barely had a complete preparation cycle. Our training camp in Kuwait was rushed and brief, and the overall schedule of that World Cup was extremely tight. My physical and mental state is totally different this time.
I have done everything I can to get into peak physical condition. I feel fit and can complete all training drills effortlessly, and I am very satisfied with that. It is not that the team atmosphere or my relationship with the coach has changed. Naturally, my body has endured more wear and tear compared with four years ago, but everything else remains the same.
Your national team manager has described you as one of the greatest players in football history. After playing for so many years, do such compliments still move you?
It is always pleasant to receive positive comments from others, but I take them rationally. After all, I am just trying my best to do my job. I am a creative and attack-minded player, and players with such traits tend to win affection from fans. I am glad to hear the praise, and I will keep pushing myself to maintain my standard — that is my goal.
If I am to praise the coach in return, he has built an excellent bond among the squad, coaching staff and support team. As I said, the whole team enjoys a positive atmosphere and he has united everyone closely. We went through a tough European Championship and then competed in the UEFA Nations League. Eventually, we regrouped successfully and qualified for the World Cup via the qualifiers. Such great overall arrangement is truly commendable. Our performance will be put to the test in this World Cup, but everything is running smoothly for now.
