De Bruyne reveals his childhood hero was Michael Owen as Man City star bags UCL award

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was awarded the UEFA’s Midfielder of the Year award for the 2019-20 season on Thursday. The Belgian midfielder was also nominated for the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award but lost that accolade to prolific Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski. Speaking after winning the Champions League midfielder of the season 2019-20 award, Kevin De Bruyne revealed that he looked up to Michael Owen while growing up.

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Champions League midfielder of the season 2019-20 reveals Michael Owen was his idol

In the interview during the UEFA awards ceremony, Kevin De Bruyne admitted that it was nice to be recognized as the Champions League midfielder of the season 2019-20 because some of the best players feature in the competition. The midfield maestro also admitted that it's nice to win individual awards, as he said he always wants to compete at the best level. Speaking about his game, Kevin De Bruyne talked about how his mind is his greatest strength as it allows him to find space as a midfielder and score goals.

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On being asked about his idols growing up, Kevin De Bruyne revealed that he idolised former Liverpool and England star Michael Owen when he was young. The midfielder also disclosed that he played as a striker during his early days and that his style of play matched Michael Owen's. Kevin De Bruyne mentioned that after he grew up and started playing as a midfielder, he looked at football differently and didn’t idolise any one individual player.

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Kevin De Bruyne stats roundup

The Belgian had a stellar season last year as he racked up a host of goals and assists across all competitions. De Bruyne equalled Thierry Henry’s record of most assists in a single Premier League season and ended up scoring 13 goals and registering 20 assists in 35 league appearances. While he couldn’t help Manchester City win the Champions League last season, the 29-year-old ended the campaign with two assists and two goals in the competition.

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Fans react to Kevin De Bruyne's Michael Owen revelation

With Kevin De Bruyne revealing that he idolised Michael Owen while growing up, several fans reacted to the news online. Notably, Michael Owen played for Man City’s fierce rivals Man United and Liverpool during his playing career. After De Bruyne’s comments, Liverpool fans cheekily suggested that it is time to bring the midfielder to the club so that he can fulfil his dream of playing at the same club as his idol.

Image Credits: Manchester City Instagram, Michael Owen Instagram