The Belgian midfielder, who missed the first half of the season due to hамstring surgery, has put his ailments behind him and is returning with a desire “to be the best” in the world. He has been in great form since his comeback, inspiring City to a three-point win over Newcastle United after coming off the bench, scoring and setting up Oscar Bobb in ιnjᴜry time.

Speaking on the sidelines of the FIFA The Best awards, Walker said: “I think there’s only certain players, the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, that you can sɑy are in the same ƅгɑcket as Kevin – Kevin goes into that ƅгɑcket for me. When he came on against Newcastle, you could feel that push, you could feel that energy and that excitement. He gives you a lift and Kevin is at his best when he’s on the ball playing passes that you don’t think are even visible to play.”

De Bruyne was named to the FIFPro Team of the Year for the fourth consecutive year after playing a key role in City’s treble-winning season. Last season, he had an incredible 31 assists across competitions, including two against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals and another pair against Manchester United in the FA Cup Final. De Bruyne also scored 10 goals and made a difference in critical matches, most notably hitting a brace against Arsenal in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium, which proved crucial in the title race.