Man City ace De Bruyne gets coaching badges as Premier League Player of Season signals intent to move into management

MANCHESTER CITY star Kevin de Bruyne has been awarded his UEFA A coaching licence just one week after winning the Premier League title.

The 30-year-old, who recently won the PFA Player of the Year award for a third successive season, was one of 18 Belgian players to receive the certificate from the country’s football association.

It comes after De Bruyne juggled playing for Man City and taking coaching sessions with their academy groups.

This experience helped him with the Uefa course – which takes two years to pass – meaning he can now manage a youth team or be the assistant coach of a first team side in Europe.

Speaking in 2021 about coaching, De Bruyne told The Mirror: “When you have worked with a man like [Pep] Guardiola, you look at this sport in a totally different way.

“For the sake of football in my home country Belgium, it would be good to pass on all that knowledge.

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“This is why I am not saying no anymore to coaching. I have started a coaching course and I prepare all the lessons which I am told to do.

“At the same time I have to admit there are quite a few things I like away from football too.”

A number of other high-profile Belgian players received the certificate alongside De Bruyne after national team boss Roberto Martinez advised them to get their coaching badges.

Among them were Jan Vertonghen, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard, Simon Mignolet, Axel Witsel and Thomas Vermaelen.

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Head of coaching at the Belgian FA, Kris Van der Haegen, said: “Many of the boys have already made a lot of progress and we are already seeing the results.

“Just look at our federation, where Thomas Vermaelen has joined the Red Devils’ staff.

“But Nicolas Lombaerts and Timmy Simons are also good examples.

“You see that many boys have great potential as coaches. It is a win-win situation. The Devils pass on their experience to future Red Devils.”