KDB is special, let’s celebrate his art

Though collective effort continues to remain intrinsic to success in football, the sport also places a premium on individual brilliance. From politics to cinema, Tamil Nadu has a penchant for duopoly. We aren’t interested beyond two persons. In appreciating football greatness, the wider world follows Tamil Nadu: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. There is no doubt that Messi and Ronaldo are extraterrestrials but the time has come to find a new icon. De Bruyne could well be the new kid on the block. A 29-year-old kid. It is not KDB’s fault that he is a contemporary of two legends. De Bruyne is a genius.

The Belgian has so much space to thread a pass while we see none. His game is deceptively simple but deadly in effect. As Johan Cruyff said, playing football is simple but playing simple football is difficult. De Bruyne has the uncanny ability to make a complex pass look like a child’s play. Art is easy for an artist. Connoisseurs of the game are coming around to the view that De Bruyne isn’t merely one of the best midfielders of this era; he has a place in the pantheon of all-time greats. He almost punched a ticket to greatness this season but Manchester City’s unexpected loss to Chelsea in the final of the Champions League last month has put his entry on hold. De Bruyne will join the elite club soon.

KDB isn’t an out and out scorer in the mould of Messi or Ronaldo, although he can shoot bullets from either foot. He is more of a conductor. If he wielded a baton, he would be working for The Vienna Philharmonic orchestra. Watching him arch a pass past a posse of back-tracking defenders after a marauding run on the right is a joy. His assists are so sumptuous that many a time two of his team-mates would have a chance to knock it in. The midfielder has provided 78 assists in 180 matches for Manchester City. Despite playing only 134 minutes out of the possible 270 in the group stage of Euro 2020, De Bruyne created nine chances including two assists. Oh, yes; he also blasted the winner from his weaker left-foot against Denmark. It’s KDB over CR7 for me -- at Euro 2020 that is.