"We have a new team with a lot of young boys. I'm already getting a little older and I want to show with the Devils in my last years how to behave as a player and as a leader," he said.

The Belgium captain has six Premier League crowns and one Champions League title, as well as two FA Cups and five League Cups to his name since his 2015 switch from German side VfL Wolfsburg.

Kevin De Bruyne kept Manchester City's defence of the Champions League alive by firing home an equaliser 14 minutes from time to send their quarter-final tie against Real Madrid to extra-time.

Stunned by conceding an early goal scored by Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, De Bruyne equalised with a superb shot and after second-half goals by Rico Lewis and Erling Haaland the Belgian midfielder added his second.

De Bruyne has been left out of Belgium's squad for their forthcoming friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and England because of a groin strain.

The Spaniard, however, was not just waxing lyrical about the returning Belgian after a thrilling victory, he had warm words for Norwegian youngster Oscar Bobb whose goal from De Bruyne's assist secured the points in stoppage time.

The Belgian came off the bench to score and set up Oscar Bobb's stoppage-time winner to announce his comeback from a five-month injury layoff in style.

 Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne used his time away from soccer during to a post-operation recovery period to reconnect with his family, the midfielder said after his first game back on Sunday.

The Belgium international came on as a 57th-minute substitute and set up a goal as the holders cruised to a 5-0 win over second-tier strugglers Huddersfield in a thoroughly lopsided clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne may be one of the best assist providers in the Premier League but the Belgian was forced to concede he played no part in assisting off the pitch by co-writing Canadian rapper Drake's new song "Wick Man".

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has had surgery following the hamstring injury he suffered at Burnley on the opening day of the Premier League season.

The trio emerged as the leading vote-getters from a jury comprised of coaches of clubs in UEFA competitions, those in charge of European national teams and a select group of journalists

Kevin De Bruyne could be out of action for up to four months after suffering a hamstring injury in the opening Premier League game of the season, manager Pep Guardiola said on the eve of their UEFA Super Cup clash against Sevilla.

 Kevin De Bruyne has been left out of Manchester City's squad for the UEFA Super Cup game with Sevilla after the midfielder suffered another hamstring injury in the opening league game of the season.

Manchester City could be without Kevin De Bruyne for a number of weeks after he suffered the recurrence of a hamstring injury as the defending champions opened the Premier League season with a 3-0 win at Burnley on Friday.

Kevin de Bruyne's legacy will not be defined by the outcome of Saturday's Champions League final, the midfielder said ahead of Manchester City's showdown against Serie A side Inter Milan in Istanbul.

The 31-year-old De Bruyne, like the rest of City's high-quality collection of internationals, has been outshone by Haaland's record-shredding first season in England.

Kolo Toure says Wednesday’s latest man-of-the-match display from Kevin De Bruyne in Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Arsenal was further proof positive of how Erling Haaland has helped elevate the midfielder’s game to even greater heights.

Pep Guardiola labelled Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland as "extraordinary" after the Manchester City stars destroyed Arsenal in a 4-1 victory that put the champions in control of the Premier League title race.

The Red Devils coach Domenico Tedesco chose playmaker De Bruyne for the position after Real Madrid's Hazard, who turned 32 in January, ended his Belgium career following last year's World Cup