Kevin De Bruyne has openly criticized Antonio Conte’s management style as he rejoins the Belgium squad for the upcoming World Cup preparations. 

The Manchester City legend endured a challenging debut season at Napoli, where a hamstring injury sidelined him for around five months. 

Limited to just 21 appearances across all competitions, he made 16 starts, accumulating 1,360 minutes, scoring five goals and providing four assists.

Beyond fitness concerns, De Bruyne expressed dissatisfaction with Conte’s rigid, defensive tactics and felt he was not deployed in his most effective position. His comments surfaced after Conte’s departure from the club.

New Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, a former Napoli manager himself, is determined to implement an attacking approach designed to maximize De Bruyne’s creative talents. 

De Bruyne has now linked up with the national team ahead of two pre-World Cup friendlies against Croatia on Tuesday and Tunisia on Saturday.

Garcia emphasised player enjoyment and well-being. He stated that the most important factor was for De Bruyne to feel comfortable and positive.

The coach added that he had wanted the players to have fun again while representing their country, noting that this had been one of his key objectives when he took the job.

With 117 international caps, De Bruyne ranks sixth in Belgium’s all-time list. His 36 goals place him second only to his Napoli teammate Romelu Lukaku, who has scored 89 times for the Red Devils.

Lukaku also experienced a disrupted 2025-26 campaign, battling multiple muscle problems that restricted him to just seven substitute appearances and a total of 64 minutes on the pitch.

Garcia’s fresh philosophy offers hope that key stars like De Bruyne can rediscover their best form on the international stage, potentially boosting Belgium’s prospects as they build towards the World Cup.

The change in environment and tactical freedom could prove vital for the experienced playmaker after a frustrating club season.