Recent discussions circulating on social media purportedly attributed quotes to Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne regarding his absence at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. The Belgian midfielder finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings and was not present during the award ceremony on October 30, 2023.
The post attributed to De Bruyne indicated a sense of dismay regarding the Ballon d’Or process. According to the post, De Bruyne purportedly voiced his discontent by highlighting the premature leak of the winner’s name a week before the ceremony.
The post claimed that the Manchester City midfielder felt that if the award had been fair, his teammate Erling Haaland deserved to win, given his exceptional performances. The post concluded with De Bruyne allegedly stating that he chose not to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony as a stand against what he referred to as “corruption.”
🚨 Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne shared his thoughts when asked about his absence at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
🗣️Kevin De Bruyne : “This award has become a joke. They leaked the name of the winner a week ago. If the award were fair, then Haaland would have won it.… pic.twitter.com/5GeIe2HbiW
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) November 3, 2023
Although it is accurate that the renowned soccer journalist, Fabrizio Romano did predict Lionel Messi as the winner a week before the event, the alleged remarks from De Bruyne are entirely fabricated.
Fans were quick to express their doubts about the authenticity of the post, seeking concrete evidence and a credible source for the purported statements.
Show us the source 😂 pic.twitter.com/2513x3uNh1
— EPLnews (@EPLnews24_7) November 3, 2023
Comments from skeptical fans flooded the post, casting doubt on the legitimacy of De Bruyne’s alleged statement. Queries such as “Show us the source,” “Does Kevin De Bruyne know something about this post?” and “Source? Trust me, bro” were prevalent, reflecting the skepticism surrounding the authenticity of the information.
The real reason Kevin de Bruyne did not attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony
Manchester City’s midfield maestro, Kevin de Bruyne, found himself absent from the glitzy Ballon d’Or ceremony, sparking questions and speculative discussions among fans. While a post circulating online attributed his absence to dissatisfaction with the award, the real reason is tied to the challenging period of injury and recovery he’s currently navigating.
During the very first game of the Premier League this season, the Belgian international has grappled with a hamstring injury, limiting his appearances to merely two this season. Earlier this year, De Bruyne ended up leaving the field during the Champions League final against Inter Milan last season which ended up being a major setback for him.
🚨🇧🇪 Kevin De Bruyne: “Last season I had been sucking on my hamstring for two months, in the week before the UCL final I felt best… and just then my body decides it’s been enough.”
“I’ve never experienced this, I’ve never had such a serious injury. A hamstring surgery is not… pic.twitter.com/2elvpyS7e0
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 2, 2023
Expressing his distress about the injury, De Bruyne revealed, “I have never experienced this before, I have never had such a serious injury.”
“We are now three months in and I am doing very well, everything is on track. I underwent my surgery with Geert Declercq. City are in daily contact with him and Lieven. But they have not given me a deadline for when I will be able to play football again,” he added.
While De Bruyne’s absence at the Ballon d’Or event stirred discussions, his value and influence at Manchester City remain unparalleled. However, the club has demonstrated success even in his absence, hinting at their adaptability and depth in the squad.