How good is Kevin De Bruyne?

[FootballHQ]

That pass he effortlessly pinged to Gvardiol at 1-0 down, no one else on the pitch (and we're talking of a further 7-8 players on that pitch fitting the description) would've even attempted it.

 

[Pink Moon]

Best in the league and it's not even that close

I think he is too but I'd contest that it's not close. Bernardo Silva is a fantastic footballer and with all the off the ball/defensive stuff he provides, I'd say he at least has an argument.

 

[MrEleson]

He reminds me of 3 players rolled into one.

At his best:

- He has the vision, execution and playmaking prowess of an Ozil.

- The dynamism and long-range shooting/striking ability of a Gerrard (he can even do it effortlessly with both feet)

- The ridiculous curve and crossing ability of Beckham whenever he’s on that right hand side.

He’s the best ever midfielder the league has seen.

However, he’s still not quite the best midfielder I’ve seen in my time overall. That would be Modric who still trumps him in a few facets of the game, especially on the defensive end. Modric is a slightly better pure CM; being better in the middle-third of the pitch. However, KDB’s playmaking and attacking talent is quickly making him over-take Modric for me although it could be a recency bias thing. But I honestly haven’t seen a midfielder as complete as Modric in every phase of midfield play.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

So does the Mbappe in the best in the world thread, I would have this guy any day.

You're in a minority then.

 

[Hammondo]

You're in a minority then.

Maybe, maybe not. Obviously age is a consideration, but without that I think De Bruyne wins without many problems.

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

You're in a minority then.

Personally, I'd have De Bruyne over Mbappe, don't think it's a crazy claim.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Maybe, maybe not. Obviously age is a consideration, but without that I think De Bruyne wins without many problems.

Mbappe has potential to be the best French player ever(usurping players like Platini and Zidane) and has potential to be the best World Cup player ever.

You're in a small minority preferring De Bruyne over Mbappe.

 

[sincher]

It seems by this thread he is actually underrated by some. I think he is honestly one of the best I have seen. I think better than Modric, I would say better than Gerrard or Lampard, harder to compare with the likes of Keane or Vieira but probably 'better' in most senses than them too. I would also say better than Xavi or Iniesta who were wonderful but not as directly impactful in terms of goals and assists, not as much of a threat with long passes or shots. One thing that does slightly count against him is that he has been out injured a fair bit so hasn't hit heights of appearances nor therefore consistency as some. His stats are fairly amazing though - he has 65 goals and 105 assists in 246 premier league games... That is right up with the best. The other all-time leading assisters played way more games (Giggs 162 from 632, Fabregas 111 from 350, Rooney 103 from 491, Lampard 102 from 609). Even in goals per game he is well up there with the best midfielders.

 

[SambaBoy]

Do you take into account all the drama that surrounds Mbappe when comparing him to De Bruyne?

De Bruyne seems to just be focused on his football and is a team player. Never heard of any trouble he's caused off the pitch and seems well liked. Captain material.

It's a soap opera with Mbappe. If he joins Madrid which has been an ongoing saga since he joined PSG, I'll give it six months before he or his entourage are saying he's unhappy with this or that or being a bad apple in the dressing room. Clearly you can't doubt his talent, he's an incredible player on his game and a devastating attacking force. If I had a choice to build my team around him or De Bruyne, I'd pick De Bruyne all day long. If it was for one game, I'd pick Mbappe.

 

[Semper Fudge]

Personally, I'd have De Bruyne over Mbappe, don't think it's a crazy claim.

When he was younger, yes.

 

[Ayoba]

Good, very good.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Would he make it in Pep's best 11 he's managed ?

 

[Red Star One]

Would he make it in Pep's best 11 he's managed ?

Sounds insane but it’s tricky, not sure if you can fit him, Xavi and Iniesta in one team, and it would be a blasphemy to leave any of them

 

[Lay]

Would he make it in Pep's best 11 he's managed ?

Nah. The Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets trio is hard to break up.

 

[Hammondo]

Mbappe has potential to be the best French player ever(usurping players like Platini and Zidane) and has potential to be the best World Cup player ever.

You're in a small minority preferring De Bruyne over Mbappe.

It's unlikely, and he has to prove himself.

You can say I'm in the minority, but you don't know that.

 

[Hammondo]

Sounds insane but it’s tricky, not sure if you can fit him, Xavi and Iniesta in one team, and it would be a blasphemy to leave any of them

Diamond midfield?

 

[giorno]

Would he make it in Pep's best 11 he's managed ?

Depends. Going by 11 best players, or making the best possible coherent 11. If the former yes, obviously. He's at worst the 5th best player Guardiola has coached in his career(Messi, Xavi, Robben, Lewandowski. I'd probably have him 4th as of yet. Xavi and Robben international careers and CL impact put them above him). Even if you rate Iniesta more than me, that's still 6th at worst. If we're making a team, i'm not so sure. Mainly I don't see the point of him in a team with Messi

Edit: forgot Eto'o. Still doesn't change the point. Comfortably among the 10 best players Guardiola has coached

 

[MegadrivePerson]

Maybe, maybe not. Obviously age is a consideration, but without that I think De Bruyne wins without many problems.

I'm in this minority with you!

 

[devaneios]

Mbappe has potential to be the best French player ever(usurping players like Platini and Zidane) and has potential to be the best World Cup player ever.

You're in a small minority preferring De Bruyne over Mbappe.

Mbappé hasn't shown anything so far to suggest he can surpass Platini. The latter is top10 of all time material, a much better version of De Bruyne(as good passer and playmaker and a much better goalscorer and dribbler).

 

[MiceOnMeth]

Depends. Going by 11 best players, or making the best possible coherent 11. If the former yes, obviously. He's at worst the 5th best player Guardiola has coached in his career(Messi, Xavi, Robben, Lewandowski. I'd probably have him 4th as of yet. Xavi and Robben international careers and CL impact put them above him). Even if you rate Iniesta more than me, that's still 6th at worst. If we're making a team, i'm not so sure. Mainly I don't see the point of him in a team with Messi

Edit: forgot Eto'o. Still doesn't change the point. Comfortably among the 10 best players Guardiola has coached

Ronaldinho, Zlatan, Henry, Yaya Toure too.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Nah. The Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets trio is hard to break up.

They often didn't play together in that way, Iniesta would play on the wing cutting in for Spain especially, so you could fit in De Bruyne and Iniesta that way.

 

[Yorkeontop]

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/s/SvaehwyCZn

The most potent midfielder in the 21st century.

 

[TenonTen]

Best PL midfielder ever and probably the best midfielder of his generation.


Modric and Kroos were vital parts of the team that won many CLs but KDB just had more in his locker. KDB is physically better than both and produces more technically genius moments than them with the ball.


KDB is a supremely complete Footballer. Left Foot, Right Foot, great assists, long shots, crosses, passing range, set plays, defensive work rate, physicality and so on.



As an individual Footballer, KDB is better than Modric and Kroos. People need to stop rating individuals solely based on team accomplishments.

 

[kaiser1]

Best in the league and it's not even that close

I think Salah will have something to say about that

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Would he make it in Pep's best 11 he's managed ?

Obviously not

 

[Pascal Quiff]

I'm in this minority with you!

Me too. Take age out of it and KDB would be as desirable a player for any team as Mbappe is.

I think Salah will have something to say about that

Agreed. Those two have been consistently the best for a good few years now, mirroring the higher standards of their respective teams

 

[devaneios]

They often didn't play together in that way, Iniesta would play on the wing cutting in for Spain especially, so you could fit in De Bruyne and Iniesta that way.

De Bruyne also played(very well) on the left wing.

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

De Bruyne wouldn't get in the midfield of course but you could easily fit him in Pep's front 3.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Frustrating how he plays for a rival. Very likeable player and a joy to watch. His pass for Foden’s second was just inch perfect.

 

[Scandi Red]

I believe that Kevin De Bruyne is good at football.

 

[Gehrman]

Mbappe has potential to be the best French player ever(usurping players like Platini and Zidane) and has potential to be the best World Cup player ever.

You're in a small minority preferring De Bruyne over Mbappe.

Mpabbe has the potential to be the best french forward ever. Right now its more him vs Henry than Platini and Zidane. I feel that makes more sense. We'll see though.

 

[giorno]

Ronaldinho, Zlatan, Henry, Yaya Toure too.

He never coached Dinho, Henry was old and way past his best(and even if he were at his best I'm still not sure I'd take him over KDB, but I digress) and Ibra and Yaya were clearly lesser players than De Bruyne

 

[Daydreamer]

Nah. The Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets trio is hard to break up.

Yep. I personally rate him higher than Iniesta as an individual player... but it's sacrilege to suggest breaking those three up.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

This would be my Pep XI, as much based on players that have been key to him or fit his philosophy as pure ability:

Neuer
Lahm - Pique - Dias - Alaba
Busquets - Xavi - De Bruyne
Robben - Messi - Iniesta

Possible case for Rodri over Busquets too if they win another CL.

 

[giorno]

Mmmm i'd probably go
Neuer
Pique - Dias - Alaba
Busquets
Bernardo Xavi Iniesta Graelish
Messi Lewandowski/Haaland/Eto'o not sure about this

I'm deliberately leaving out the serial domestic abuser and the one currently under trial for sexual assault

 

[Jeffthered]

Possibly Mbappe aside, I cannot think of a better player in world football. He's a superb, complete midfielder. He can play any role in midfield. A matchwinner, goalscorer, and he inspires and raises the performance levels of those around him. Never in trouble, no off-pitch nonsense.

A class act.

KDB, Mbappe.. possibly Kane too. Consistent and outstanding in their own respective ways.

 

[DJ Jeff]

Would he make it in Pep's best 11 he's managed ?

Makes me wonder would any Bayern player apart from Neuer. Lahm maybe, though I think he was past his best when Pep got him. Lewandowski maybe. Actually, if you say KDB doesn't get in to keep the Barca trio together in midfield, no other City player is getting in.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Makes me wonder would any Bayern player apart from Neuer. Lahm maybe, though I think he was past his best when Pep got him. Lewandowski maybe. Actually, if you say KDB doesn't get in to keep the Barca trio together in midfield, no other City player is getting in.

Pep said Lahm was the cleverest player he managed, then put him in CDM for a year and was superb for a while before eventually moving back to RB. He was definitely Pep's sort of player - understood tactics, good technically, great team player.

 

[giorno]

Pep said Lahm was the cleverest player he managed, then put him in CDM for a year and was superb for a while before eventually moving back to RB. He was definitely Pep's sort of player - understood tactics, good technically, great team player.

Considering Bayern didn't really play with wingbacks....Lahm was his first experiment with a moving a defender into the double pivot(his previous solution to create the 3-2-5 structure involved Busquets dropping between the CBs to form the back 3 and Xavi plus a rotation of Iniesta, Fabregas/Thiago or Keita in the double pivot)

 

[Daydreamer]

Neuer
Alves Dias Alaba Lahm
Busquets
Xavi Iniesta
de Bruyne
Messi Henry​