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ST. PETERSBURG (AP) – The role played by Kevin De Bruyne for Belgium in the World Cup semi-final against France is not yet clear
as coach Roberto Martinez believes that Manchester City midfielder is a talented footballer. "It's essential to have a player like Kevin – that he can play different roles," Martinez said Monday, on the eve of the semi-final. "Apart from the goalkeeper, I could tell you that he could not play, he could play at the highest level in any position."
Belgian Kevin De Bruyne leaves behind him Belgian coach Roberto Martinez at the official Belgian press conference on the eve of the semi-final match between France and Be Lgium at the 2018 World Cup soccer tournament at the Saint Petersburg stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia , the Monday, July 9, 2018. (AP Photo / Martin Meissner)
And this makes it easier for Martinez to change tactics – that he has He often tries both to create opportunities for his offensive team and to have a good time. to stifle the threat of expeditious France with Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
Belgium are the tournament's top scorer with 14 goals. France has 9.
De Bruyne had a relatively quiet start to the tournament – by his high level – playing a deeper and more defensive role than he does in Manchester.
But the 27-year-old has exploded In the knockout matches, Martinez has pushed him into a more offensive stance.
First of all, his uptrend helped Nacer Chadli's striker get rid of Japan's 3-2 defeat. Then he scored the decisive goal of Belgium's 2-1 win against Brazil in the quarter-finals with a low and far shot in the farthest corner of the net at the edge of the penalty area.
"When he plays in that role, when he plays a little more in the last third, his play, his performance, is very, very attractive and maybe then he gets greater recognition," Martinez said.
This is the kind of incisive game that he has shown all season City walked up to the English Premier League title. De Bruyne missed the end-of-season honors of the badociation of football players and writers because of the glut of Liverpool's goals and Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah.
In a Belgian team filled with so much talent that she is known as the Golden Generation, De Bruyne is one of the favorites with forward Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.
Whether he plays an offensive or more defensive role, De Bruyne plays a decisive role in the direction of Belgium by his awareness and his quick pbades. De Bruyne is a modern playmaker in that he's going faster than you can see, "said Martinez." His level of execution is exceptional. "
Martinez n & # 39; 39, is not the first Belgian coach to be overthrown by De Bruyne.
His predecessor, Marc Wilmots, remembered to put De Bruyne against Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov the 2014 World Cup.
"He played man-to-man against Kolarov and devoured him, defensively and offensively," Wilmots told the Associated Press in an interview before the World Cup. is a player with high quality races, a big engine, but also quality pbades and pbades. "
De Bruyne says that everywhere he plays, his state of mind remains essentially the same [19659002] create opportunities and give pbades that my teammates can use to make a difference, "he said. [19] 659002] France must do its best to silence him
"When he has the ball, he sees things" Wilmots said:
Belgian Kevin De Bruyne speaks to the media at the official Belgian press conference on the eve of the semi-final between France and Belgium at the Cup of the 2018 football world at the Saint Petersburg Stadium urgent in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, July 9, 2018. (AP Photo / Martin Meissner)
Tags Belgium Bruyne coach De Midfielder multifunctional welcomes
