Kevin De Bruyne: Manchester City Star Sends Message to Guardiola After Becoming Belgium Captain

• Kevin De Bruyne is Belgium's new captain after Eden Hazard's international retirement
• He has endured a difficult time at Manchester City this season with his minutes being reduced
• The midfield maestro has sent a message to City boss Pep Guardiola as he takes on a new role

Kevin De Bruyne has been named the new captain of the Belgium national team, following Eden Hazard announcing his international retirement after the World Cup in December.

The Red Devils had an outing to forget in Qatar, failing to build on their 2018 progress where they finished second runners-up in Russia.

De Bruyne was at the centre of a controversy at the tournament after claiming his team was too old to win the 2022 edition and stating they lost their chance in the previous years.

His World Cup form carried over to the club. He has seen a dip in his performance which consequently has led to reduced minutes given to him by manager, Pep Guardiola.

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KDB sends message to Guardiola

As reported by talkSPORT, De Bruyne has been benched for some high-profile matches this season, including the 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

The former Chelsea midfielder admits he is disappointed at seeing his time on the pitch cut short but is ready to give his all to the team whenever he is called upon.

"I've been with Pep for eight years. He changes all the time. I think we are used to doing that," he told Sky Sports.

De Bruyne said he ideally wanted to play every minute and was disappointed when he remained on the bench.

"But if I have to play 10 minutes, I will do the best I can do in that 10 minutes."

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The Belgian also feels there is not much more he can do about the situation.

"I feel like I've played so much this year; I've been fully fit. The last two years weren't great, but coaches have to look ahead also. We have got a tough schedule coming up after the international break, and we need everybody to be 100%."

Guardiola advises De Bruyne

The Belgian playmaker has come under criticism this season for his dip in form, despite being the league's top assister with 13 goals created for his teammates.

As Sports Brief reported, Guardiola has told KDB to return to basics if he wants to see his minutes improved as City continues to fight for the defence of their EPL title.