Belgium announce De Bruyne as new captain after Hazard’s retirement »

• Kevin De Bruyne named Belgium captain following Eden Hazard’s retirement.

Kevin De Bruyne has been named the new captain of the Belgian national team following the retirement of Eden Hazard.

After Belgium’s early elimination from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which also signalled the end of former coach Roberto Martinez’s tenure, Eden Hazard made the decision to leave the international game. Domenico Tedesco, Martinez’s successor, was then given the task of selecting a new leader for the Red Devils.

Before to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, the 37-year-old boss named De Bruyne as Belgium’s new captain. The Manchester City player has 97 caps for his country and 25 goals at the international level.

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“It’s an honour for me to be named and represent the country in this way,” De Bruyne told RTL-TVI television after the announcement.

“I’m almost 32. I’ve never considered international retirement. I think I can still bring something to the table and help the youngsters.”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Inter forward Romelu Lukaku have been chosen as the two vice-captains.

De Bruyne has previously captained Belgium on multiple occasions, notably against Croatia in their last 2022 World Cup group-stage match.

In a 2024 European Championship Qualification on Friday against Sweden, De Bruyne will begin his tenure as the full-time captain of Belgium.