Kevin de Bruyne said goodbye to the Etihad Stadium after making his last game for Manchester City on Tuesday.
De Bruyne left City at the end of the season and was given an honorable guard by his team-mates after helping City beat Bournemouth 3-1, putting them on the edge of the Champions League qualifiers.
The Belgium international, who won 14 big cups with City for 10 years, has played in a video that respected City’s colleagues, former husband, his wife and three children, who have been on the pitch to say goodbye to fans in the Union.
In his speech to the crowd, De Bruyne thought that the legacy he would leave was explaining what the club and the city mean to him and his family.
“Manchester is at home, Manchester is the place where these little babies were born,” he said. “I came here with my husband, Michelle, Michelle, to stay for a long time. I didn’t expect to be here for 10 years.
“I wanted to play with innovation, I wanted to play with passion. I wanted to enjoy football and I hope everyone has enjoyed it.
Honor of King Kev 🩵 Pic.twitter.com/j3gydslxia
– Manchester City (@mancity) May 20,
“This team is trying to host people and win. This team will work behind the scenes and work on the pitch. This team will win in the future, with me or without me, and everyone in the city will be behind the team.
“You just want to improve and succeed and then when you win you want to win more. You want to push the city and we had five or six shows and that was unreliable to see all the things walking in the city.
“They have welcomed us a lot from the beginning. So that they can support my family about a complete stadium and I say everything,” De Bruyne said.
Earlier on the day, a mosaic of a D Bruyne was unveiled at the city football academy, but it was revealed that a statue of another Bruyne was made in honor of the unwavering sign he left.
we respect @kevindebuyne“s
– Manchester City (@mancity) May 20,
“I mean I’ll always be part of this club,” De Bruyne said.
– I always represent a small piece of that thing and whenever I return with these boys and I can see myself with my family and friends, I will always be here.
“I think the best way to describe my life with my husband and my three children is that we have taken our place. We understand where the club has come and why the club has a lot of meaning for many people,” he said.
“We have created a big future for you boys together, for the club to perform the way they show the club.
“I know they are really pushing hard and this team will return to all titles next year, so they deserve this,” he said.
“I think it’s time after 10 years that someone allowed me to talk a little and it’s time to say goodbye.