NAPLES (ITALPRESS) – “I think the level in Europe is increasingly higher. It’s not easy to win every match, and even small national teams can build a decent team and get results. Of course, missing out on the World Cup is a huge loss for a country like Italy. But there’s nothing we can do about it.” Kevin De Bruyne doesn’t have this problem. His Belgium team will be at the World Cup, while for the third consecutive year, the four-time World Cup winners, the Azzurri, will be missing. “Is Italian football in crisis? Maybe. If you don’t make it to the World Cup three times in a row, maybe you are. But I don’t know the details, I don’t know the structure and philosophy, starting from the youth teams up to the highest level. So I don’t know…”, the Napoli midfielder said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.
And Belgium? “Everything is going in the right direction. Representing your country is an honor. I know people expect a lot from me. I have to help this new generation grow and go far. It’s different from the past, but I like it. I don’t know what to expect from the World Cup. I think there’s less anticipation than before. We had a very special group in 2018, now there are many new players. We’re starting to get through the group (with Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand), then it depends on who we face. We want to play good football and go as far as possible. We hope to do something good.”
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
