March 21, (THEWILL) – Kevin De Bruyne has been announced as Belgium’s new captain.
The Manchester City playmaker will be replacing Eden Hazard, who announced his retirement from international football last December, after Belgium’s disappointing group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup.
De Bruyne, who has won 97 caps for Belgium, will be leading the team under the guidance of new coach, Domenico Tedesco. The announcement comes after Roberto Martinez’s tenure as the Belgium coach came to an end, following the team’s early exit from the World Cup.
The 31-year-old has been a key player for the national team and his appointment as captain is seen as a logical choice. Real Madrid goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois and Inter striker, Romelu Lukaku, have been named as vice-captains.
Belgium is set to kick off their campaign to qualify for Euro 2024 against Sweden in Stockholm on Friday. They are also drawn in Group F alongside Austria, Azerbaijan, and Estonia. Tedesco’s men will face a challenging test when they take on Euro 2024 hosts Germany in a friendly on March 28.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
