Kevin De Bruyne's disdain for 'unimportant' UEFA Nations League fixtures has signalled a shift in the Belgian's mentality while at the peak of his Manchester City career.
The Belgian maestro struggled with a whole host of injury issues at the start of the season. In City's first-ever Champions League final, at the end of the 2020/21 campaign, De Bruyne left the field in tears after a collision with Chelsea's Antonio Rüdiger - fracturing his eye socket and breaking his nose.
He only just managed to recover from that horror injury to participate in the European Championship but was hit with another major blow when he damaged his ankle ligaments at said tournament. Despite suffering that tear in the last-16, De Bruyne took painkilling injections to play in Belgium's quarter-final loss to Italy - something he has since said he regrets.
