Kevin De Bruyne: Belgium Must ‘Be Better in Every Way’ After Defeat to France

Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne has expressed frustration following their 2-0 loss to France in the Nations League, urging his teammates to improve across the board. The Manchester City midfielder revealed he had confronted his side at half-time during a charged exchange, although he refrained from sharing specific details.

Currently third in League A Group 2, Belgium are level on three points with France but struggling to regain their past form. De Bruyne acknowledged that the team is not performing at the level they reached in 2018, when they made it to the World Cup semi-finals.

“Other things are unacceptable. I’m not going to say what,” said the 33-year-old after the match, referencing a lack of effort and cohesion on the pitch.

Belgium’s Nations League campaign started with a promising 3-1 win against Israel, where De Bruyne scored twice. However, they were outplayed by France, conceding goals to Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembélé.

While De Bruyne refrained from sharing the exact content of his half-time talk, he emphasized the need for Belgium to give everything if they are to compete at the highest level.

“If you don’t even do that, it’s over,” he added.

De Bruyne also pointed out a tactical flaw in Belgium’s style, criticizing the lack of connection between the players: “If you stay with six at the back, there is no connection… it is not about transition, but about people who do not perform their tasks.”