Eberechi Eze Names Kevin De Bruyne as His Toughest Opponent

The Premier League, known for being one of the most prestigious football competitions globally, has seen a plethora of world-class talents since its establishment in 1992.

Eberechi Eze has identified Kevin De Bruyne as the most formidable opponent he has encountered during his career. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, De Bruyne enjoyed a remarkable ten-year tenure with Manchester City from 2015 to 2025 before leaving Pep Guardiola’s squad to join Napoli at the conclusion of his contract this summer.

De Bruyne earned a spot in GOAL’s Team of the 2020s So Far, alongside notable players such as Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Virgil van Dijk. Eze has expressed deep admiration for De Bruyne, whom he describes as a “high-level thinker.”

During an exclusive interview on GOAL’s “Beast Mode On” podcast, when asked about his toughest opponent in the Premier League, Eze stated, “I’m gonna say [Kevin] De Bruyne. The way he plays and the things he accomplishes over time… it’s not easy. You can tell he’s a high-level thinker. These are the types of players I’ve looked up to since I was young, so he is definitely a special player.”

He further elaborated, “He’s the kind of player that you face and think, ‘he’s finding solutions to problems I haven’t even presented yet.’ He’s truly a remarkable individual.”

De Bruyne made a strong impression in his early days at Napoli, netting four goals in his first eight matches. Unfortunately, he is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a serious thigh injury sustained while scoring a penalty during a 3-1 victory against Inter last month.

In a potential intersection of their careers, Eze and De Bruyne’s paths might have briefly crossed last year. Reports indicated that De Bruyne received a lucrative contract offer from Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League as he entered the final year of his contract at Manchester City.

Ultimately, De Bruyne chose to remain with City for the 2024-25 season, although the club considered Eze as a potential replacement should De Bruyne have accepted the offer from the Saudi side. Crystal Palace was hesitant to part ways with Eze, especially after transferring Michael Olise to Bayern Munich that same summer. Consequently, Eze remained at Palace, playing a pivotal role in their FA Cup triumph over City in May before securing a transfer to Arsenal in August.